A Warrior Arise
by BrightAsDarkness
Summary: After the war ends, Hermione finds out she's not as alone as she thinks she is. Mostly DH compliant, except Bellatrix is alive, and so is Fred.
1. Prologue

**This story is dedicated to AngelJJK, who got me to post this sooner, rather than later.**

At the dawn of time a warrior arise,

To save the world as chaos flies.

A mighty sorceress of Isis' might,

Who for gods and men Darkness fight.

Through many powers rise and fall,

She will live and see them all.

When danger call she will fight,

Til darkness fall and rise the light.

And when needed not, she will die,

And through the starry night will fly.

Never to rest, never to die,

Lost, alone, in the starry sky.


	2. Chapter 1

**So, I'm reposting this chapter, because of all the grammer and spelling mistakes I didn't check to see if I made. Sorry.**

Hermione sat in the living room of the Burrow, staring into the flames of the roaring fire. She clutched a letter in her hand as tears ran down her face. In the past week, her world had fallen around her. The war had ended five years back, and she and Ron had started dating, for show only. She had no real feelings for him. Only, he saw things differently. He had assumed that they would end up together, married and with kids, like everyone around them in the Wizarding World assumed with him.

_A week ago, her world began to crumble. Ron had taken her out for an elegant dinner, which she had enjoyed. But after, when she thought he'd be Apperating her to her flat, they appeared in a hotel room._

_He kissed her, pulling at her dress and his clothes. She fought him, but she had left her wand at home, thinking she wouldn't need it with Ron. He had thrown her onto the bed and raped her. She sobbed as she ran from the room, holding her dress tightly around her. She summoned the Knight Bus, telling Stan her destination, the Burrow._

_Hermione had barely stepped foot in the house when Mrs. Weasley swooped in, comforting the sobbing girl. She helped Hermione change and sit in the living room, with a cup of tea. Hermione had told her what had happened, and Molly was furious, shrieking about how she thought she'd raised her son better._

_The next morning, Hermione sat at the kitchen table with the rest of the Weasleys, who were just as angry at Ron. The clock moved Ron's hand from traveling to home, just before he walked in the door._

"_Hello, everyone," he said._

_His family acted as if they hadn't heard. He looked for an open place at the table and saw none, so he pulled a plate from the cabinet, flopping down on the bench next to Hermione. He reached for the bowl of eggs, and George asked for them. Hermione snatched the bowl and walked them down to George. The twins pulled her between them, asking her opinion on one of their new inventions._

"_Is everyone done?" Molly asked._

"_No," Ron replied._

_Molly flicked her wand and the table began to clear by itself as the Weasleys stood, moving to the living room._

"_What the bloody hell is going on?" Ron asked, making everyone stop in their tracks._

_They all turned toward him slowly. Fred had his arm over Hermione's shoulder, while George had his around her waist, standing like body guards. Molly and Ginny were giving him glares that would kill if that were possible. The grins the usually graced the faces of Fred, George, and Charlie were gone, replaced by harsh lines._

"_What did I do?" Ron asked._

_With that, Molly, Ginny, and Arthur had all snapped, tearing into Ron with their shrieking voices. Ron had cowered away from his mother and father, but once Ginny was allowed at him, he fled the house._

Now, she had just received a letter from the Australian Ministry, who she had told of her parent relocation, that her parents had been found dead. They had found records in their personal belongs that there was a safe deposit box registered under her name in a Muggle bank in London.

The fact that her parents were dead, upset her, but she had mourned them when she had wiped their memories, knowing there was no way to reverse what she had done. She would take Ginny with her to the bank, to retrieve what was there.

The next morning, she and Ginny were dressed in their simple Muggle attire and heading to the bank listed in the letter. As they walked in, Ginny marveled at the architecture, people, and Muggle electronic devices. Hermione spoke to the man at the counter, informing him of their reason for being there.

The teller led the two girls into the room where he brought the box, still locked. He left them alone, telling them to take their time. Hermione unlocked the box, opening the lid slowly. The box held many personal belongings from over the years. She lifted the objects out slowly, telling Ginny the stories behind them. Under those things, there was a key and a letter.

"That's strange," Hermione said after reading the letter. "They have another safe deposit box at another bank."

"We should go there next," Ginny said. "It won't take long."

They put the objects in a bag Hermione had brought with them. Before they left, Hermione withdrew all the money in the accounts of herself, her mother, and her father. It took an hour to get all the paperwork filed and the currency gathered, but they were outside the bank, walking toward an alley. They summoned and boarded the Knight Bus, putting the case of money and the bag of belongings in the small purse Hermione carried.

They stopped in Diagon Alley for lunch before heading to the next bank. The process was repeated until they stood in the room with the metal box in front of them. Hermione unlocked the box lifting the lid. On top was a letter address to Hermione. She opened it and read it aloud.

* * *

My dear Hermione,

I don't know what the circumstances are that you are reading this letter, but if you are, we are dead. I hope that you have children of your own now, Hermione. I hope you are happy, and you have a good man who loves you, as your father loves me.

Always know that we are proud of you. How could we not be? You're the brightest witch of your age, and you are only fifteen. You just left for your protection, and we understand that. We know that everything you do is to protect those you love. I just hope those two boys know what a good friend you are.

I hope when you read this, the war is over, and you are free to live your life as you will. We both love you, Hermione, nothing will ever change that. We are so proud of what you have done so far in school, and we know you can do anything you can set your heart to.

Your father and I love you more than anything in the world, Hermione, that's why what you are about to read will be so hard. We adopted you. We were on a trip in Egypt when we stumbled across an orphanage. We saw a little baby girl crawling in the dirt, nearly getting trampled by the boys and girls running around her.

She crawled over to us, and looked at us with these big brown eyes. We were both in love with her, with you. I couldn't have children, and it seems God knew what we needed. We brought you home with us.

Your name is Hermione O'Connell. Your brother, Rick, refused to come with us. We would have taken him as well, in a heartbeat. But you were enough, I guess. You were our light in the darkness. After that trip, I believe in such a thing as fate. If we hadn't gotten lost, we would never have found such a beautiful, intelligent, strong willed daughter, and you would never have met the friends you now have.

I cannot bring myself to regret anything we've ever done for you. Not letting you go to Hogwarts, not anything. You are so brave, and know that we love you, and always will. Good luck, and follow your heart. It has yet to steer you wrong.

I love you, always, your mother.

* * *

Hermione sank into one of the chairs in the room. Never would she have expected that. She looked at Ginny, before rifling through the rest of the papers. She put everything in her bag, and locked the box again, leaving it on the table. As the pair reached the streets, Hermione stopped and looked at Ginny.

"I have to find him," she said. "Rick O'Connell. I have to know who he is, where he is, everything."


	3. Chapter 2

Hermione and Ginny set off again, reaching the Ministry quickly. They bypassed the security checkpoint easily, threatening to have the guards fired if they not be let through. They walked into Kingsley's reception area, to be stopped by a secretary, a new girl.

"Do you have a meeting with Minister Shacklebolt?" she asked, sweetly.

"How long you been here, honey?" Ginny asked, bitterly.

"I just started last week."

"Well then, you should know, if you don't let us in, you'll end up like the last girl, thrown out on her ass. The two of us don't need a meeting. We show up whenever the hell we want."

"I doubt that even Hermione Granger and Ginny Weasley can enter without an appointment. Harry Potter and Ron Weasley even need appointments."

"Good for my dumb ass brother and ex-boyfriend. Now, let us in, or I swear to Merlin-"

She was cut off by the door opening, and a tall black man walking out. He was in purple robes and wore a smile. He motioned for the two girls to enter, throwing the secretary a disapproving look, before shutting the door behind them. he hugged each girl before ushering them to their seats.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" asked Kingsley's baritone voice.

"First off," Ginny started. "My brother dumped another pregnant girlfriend. She thinks she's lucky to have been a notch on his bedpost.

"Second, I dumped Harry's sorry ass last week, when he tried to make me sleep with him. that's why he's not been to work. I tried to use the castration hex, but I can't seem to get it right. Anyways, I don't think he'll be doing anything for another week or two."

Kingsley looked furious at this. Over the time he'd spent with the Order, he'd grown very partial to these two girls. He saw them like sisters or daughters, the need to protect them, overpowering at times.

"How are you holding up?" he asked, his voice full of concern.

"I'm fine. I just feel stupid for not seeing it before. I should have. I mean both of them used Hermione because she was powerful, and Harry tried to use me."

"What about you, Hermione?"

"Well, you know my parents are dead. Ginny and I went to empty their safe deposit box and accounts, and found another key to another box at another bank. That box had a letter from my mum, telling me I'm adopted form Egypt, and that I have a brother."

"And you want me to find him for you," Kingsley replied, knowing how the girl's mind worked. "I'll see what I can do."

He stood and sent a memo out the door, telling the secretary to cancel his next appointment. He waved his wand, making the tea in the corner pour itself. They sat for a long time, while Hermione told them the stories behind the objects in the first box. A large envelope soared out of the fireplace, landing on Kingsley's lap. He opened it and read the file.

"Rick O'Connell: quite the variety of accomplishments. Bank robbing, battle leading, overall troublemaker, seems to run in the family."

The three of them laughed. Kingsley read them important things in the file. Hermione finally asked where he was.

"He's in a prison in Cairo," Kingsley replied. "The Egyptian Ministry says he's going to be hanged. You better head to Egypt if you want to catch him before he's dead."

* * *

Two hours had passed, and Hermione stood in the Egyptian Ministry, getting all her paperwork taken care of. After some argument with one of the officials, she was on her way to the prison where her brother was being held.

She arrived at the same time as two other British people, a man and a woman. She followed them, running to catch up.

"Hello," she said. "What brings the two of you to a prison in Cairo?"

"I'm looking for someone who my brother ran into while here," the woman explained. "I'm Evelyn Carnahan. This is my brother Jonathan."

"Hermione Granger."

The trio walked into the prison. They were shown to a cell as a man was pulled out. Evelyn spoke with the man in hushed tones while Hermione and Jonathan looked on. Hermione took in the rugged face of the man, recognizing him from the pictures Kingsley had shown her from her brother's file. The guards pulled Rick away, while Evelyn tried to bargin for his release. Hermione flinched when the floor dropped out from under him, leaving him hanging by his neck, so she stepped in.

"Five thousand pounds," she said.

"Where is the catch?" the man asked.

"I'll make you a deal," Hermione said, moving to take Evelyn's seat. "I throw your dagger and he's cut down, he's free to go, or I miss and he hangs. Or you can take the five thousand pounds."

He handed her that dagger, grinning, "If he is cut down because of that daggar, he will go free."

Hermione stood, holding the blade. She threw it, sending it end over end. It missed Rick entirely, gaining a yell of triumph from the prison keeper. The dagger cut a guard on the platform in the arm, causing him to drop his ax. The ax cut the rope, and Rick fell to the ground. Hermione turned back to the prison master.

"And all because of a dagger," she said sweetly. "you should have taken the money."


	4. Chapter 3

Hermione waited for Rick with Evy and Jonathan outside the prison. He walked out slowly, rubbing his neck. Hermione stepped over to him, smiling.

"She wants something out of me," Rick said. "Why are you saving me?"

"My name is Hermione Granger," she replied. "Apparently, your sister and i have something in common."

"I haven't seen my sister in twenty one and a half years. How do you know about her?"

"My parents left me a letter saying they tried to adopt both of _us _twenty one and a half years ago, but you refused. They died, so that was when I found the letter. Come with me. I'll get you cleaned up for our adventure that begins tomorrow. Evy, Jonathan, we'll meet you at the docks in the morning."

She pulled Rick to the inn that housed both magical and Muggle beings. She led him to her room, digging through her trunk while he showered, looking for suitable clothes for him for both, that night and the next day. She knocked lightly on the door, setting the pants and shirt down for him. He walked out of the bathroom, dressed with damp hair. She laughed lightly.

"The long hair has to go," she said, pointing him to the wooden chair she pulled into the middle of the room.

She found a pair of scissors, cutting his hair carefully. They were silent until he finally spoke up.

"Why did you come and save me?" he asked.

She realized how American he was. She had assumed that he would be British like herself.

"You're my brother," she stated.

"You've never known about me."

"It doesn't change the fact we're siblings, even if I was raised as an Englishwoman and you a damn Yank."

"You're a Yank, too," Rick laughed.

"By blood not lifestyle."

"Tell me about yourself."

"My parents died a few weeks ago, and I found a letter telling me I was adopted. We were a well off family. I was well educated. I'm now twenty two, a few months until my birthday. I've always loved dead civilizations and ancient powers, Egyptians, Mayans, Aztecs, Incas, Persians, Romans, Greeks. They all fascinate me.

"I love reading, learning, adventure, and have a horrid knack of getting into near death experiences, and getting out of them. What about you?"

"I know treasure," he replied. "I was in the French Foreign Legion three years ago. I was the only survivor of Hamunaptra. I'm a criminal, and I've been to prison."

"I would never have guessed, since I freed you from one."

"I like guns. I believe in-"

"Being prepared," Hermione finished for him. "You wouldn't want to be caught without something you need."

"Yeah, and I swear a lot."

"Well, hell, I thought I'd be a bad influence," Hermione laughed.

"Okay, you might be my sister."

"Get some sleep," Hermione said, walking into the bathroom.

Rick smiled to himself, sitting down in the bed. He thought he'd just closed his eyes when Hermione was shaking him awake. He pulled on the clothes she had set out for him. He looked her over, taking in what she was wearing. She was in black pants, a black shirt, and knee high black boots. Her straight brown hair fell around her face gently. She was rather curvy and had a bit less than modest breasts. His little sister from all those years ago was now a woman and, to any man, a very sexy one. He knew he'd have to keep an eye on her, keep men away from her.

She hoisted her pack onto her back easily. He could see her muscles ripple through her tight shirt. Maybe she wouldn't need to be watched as much as he thought. She looked like she could take care of anything that would happen. The duo walked to the docks, Hermione gaining stares from men. Rick glared at them, throwing an arm over her shoulder.

"So, being a bit protective," Hermione laughed, elbowing him in the side.

"He's filthy, and rude, a complete scoundrel," Evy was saying as they walked up behind her.

"Anyone I know?" Rick asked.

Evy spun around, staring at the two people she hadn't expected to see at all. She looked disapprovingly over Hermione, eyeing the pants the woman wore.

"I'm not trying to impress anyone," Hermione stated, catching Evy's glances.

"Men will take it differently," Evy replied.

"I can take care of myself, Evelyn. No man will take advantage of little me. See you aboard."

She walked up the plank to the ship, finding her room. She closed and locked the door, charming her clothes quickly. She put two swords under the back of her shirt, a long knife in the outside of her boots, and a dagger on the inside. As barbaric as she thought they were, she loaded two handguns, pulling on holsters for under her arms. She then put on a long jacket, hiding the weapons. She slid her wand into her pocket for emergency use only, before walking out of the room.


	5. Chapter 4

Hermione wondered the deck and pulled a small flask out of her pocket, taking a swig. She felt the firewhiskey burn down her throat. She found Jonathan playing poker with three Americans.

"Mind if I join you, boys?" she asked.

The three Americans stared at her, as she sat down. She threw some money on the table, taking the cards passed to her. She stayed even throughout the game, never losing or winning much. Jonathan asked what the Americans were doing in Egypt, and they replied with their quest for Hamunaptra. Hermione froze as Jonathan said they were as well. She ignored the men as they flirted with her, shamelessly. Rick walked up, and he had a quick conversation with the Yanks at the table, before moving on down the boat.

"That O'Connell is a right piece of work," Henderson said. "He waltzes up, acting all high and mighty, and won't even play a game of cards. I heard he used to gamble all the time."

"That's my brother," Hermione snapped, glaring at the man.

"Then you must be all for taking risks," he said slyly.

"I take plenty of risks," she replied, looking him in the eye. "And none of them involve pig-headed, good-for-nothing, Yanks like you. I'm an Englishwoman and Egyptian before I'm a Yank. I don't play those kinds of games, so shove off."

She stood abruptly, walking the deck of the ship, trying to calm down. What she needed was a good fight, even if it was just a fist fight. She looked out over the dark water, thinking back to the war, when she would hope the fighting would end.

Hermione heard Evy scream from somewhere below deck followed by gunfire. She shot up, running toward the sound. She soon found her path blocked by a man in a long black robe. She had to fight the urge to draw her wand, letting it go once she saw the man reach for a gun. He froze when he saw she was a woman and not the one they needed.

He turned his back on her, thinking she was no threat. She grinned at his stupidity, reaching into her boot. She threw a dagger at him, missing his shoulder by an inch. The man spun around, drawing his sword, not expecting her to respond with a long knife from her boot. They fought metal to metal, neither having the advantage. She caught the man's face scarf, ducking under his arm.

Without warning he caught her arm, pushing her to the deck, falling on top of her. She felt the heat and heard the sound of the explosion that he protected her from. She shuddered as she felt his warm breath on her cheek, as he ducked out of the path of debris. He pushed away from her, and she saw his face. He had tattoos on his cheeks in Arabic and dark eyes she felt lost in. He pushed himself to his feet, pulling her up after him.

"You should not be here," he said in a low almost dangerous tone that sent her nerves tingling. "This is no place for a woman. The desert is dangerous and unforgiving. You seek the City of the Dead and will only find Death if you continue on this journey."

She stepped away from him, looking around and locating Rick's swimming form in the water. She gave the tattooed man one last look before running over the deck, through a fire, and diving into the water. She pulled her pack out of her pocket, so she'd have something where she would be keeping her clothes.

She slowed, letting the water carry her to Rick, Evy, and Jonathan. Through the darkness, she saw the robed men in canoes, vanishing into the night. She stumbled ashore as Evy complained about losing everything.

They traveled to a nearby village that offered them shelter and the promise of supplies. Hermione sent Evy for her clothes, while she told Rick and Jonathan she'd handle provisions and transportation. She walked into a tent, greeting the inhabitant, who was a wizard hermit, living as a Muggle. He easily sold Hermione all the supplied and camels she needed for the journey.

They began their journey quickly, Hermione felt bored with the slow pace of the camels, but she could hardly use magic. Once the Americans ran off racing Evy and Rick, Hermione let her camel jog behind them.

They set up camp quickly, finding a good place to start digging. Evy led the way into the chamber below. Hermione gasped at what they found, the preparation room. She moved over to the walls, examining the pictures and glyphs on the walls.

She didn't notice the other three walk down the corridor, until she turned around and they weren't there.

"Great," she muttered.

Even after the trio returned and set out for another dig sight, she remained in the chamber, fascinated by what was there. She rejoined them as dusk settled, listening to their explanation of what they found.

Hermione sat with Evy, Jonathan, and Rick around their fire. Jonathan sat up out of his drunken stupor, as they began to hear the sounds of hooves and shouting. Hermione ran into the shadows, waiting for one of the horsemen to ride by her.

She pulled out a knife from her boot, crouching down in wait. She saw Evy get knocked to the ground by a horseman. Hermione ran across the platform, jumping at the man on horseback. She grabbed him from behind, pulling him off the horse. He threw his arm behind him, catching her waist, pinning her to the sand and stone. He pulled his sword, pressing the blade into her stomach, stopping when he felt the cold blade of her knife against his neck.

He sheathed his sword again, and she pulled her knife against her forearm. He stood, repeating what he had done on the boat by pulling her to her feet.

"Enough!" he shouted to all those around him, and the fighting died.

He looked around at the treasure hunters before saying, "Leave this place or die. You have one day."

Hermione stared after him, her nerves tingling as she slid her knife back into her boot. Rick walked over to her as did the Americans.

"Maybe at night," Burns said, "We could join forces."


	6. Chapter 5

Hermione looked at the Americans before walking back to the tent. After an hour, she saw Evy walk back to the fire and followed.

"You're in her seat," Rick told Beni, as Evy came to sit down.

Beni laughed, before realizing he was serious. He got up and moved to the man's other side. Hermione decided to come up at that moment.

"Now, you're in her seat," Rick snapped.

Beni moved, and Hermione sat down. Hermione pulled out her flask of firewhiskey, taking a drink before pocketing it again. Henderson moved closer to her, touching her hand slightly. She ignored him, pulling her hand away from him. He flirted with her for nearly an hour before she stood up, walking toward her tent.

"Come on, gorgeous," Henderson called after her. "You know you what me!"

Hermione pulled a dagger from her boot and spun toward him throwing the sharp object. He screamed like a girl as it cut his pants at the seam between the legs. Evy and Jonathan were laughing as Hermione stalked back toward Henderson.

"That was excellent aim, darling," Jonathan said.

"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked. "I was aiming to the left."

Henderson whimpered, catching onto what her intentions had been. He froze in terror as she walked toward him. She pulled the dagger from the wood he was sitting on. She stalked back to her tent, getting ready for bed. Little did she or anyone else in the camp know, a certain black robed man was watching the altercation, and a grin was spreading across his face. She was a woman whose bite was worse that her bark.

* * *

The next day, Hermione stood with Evy, Jonathan, and Rick over the sarcophagus they had discovered. Evy was going over the coffin.

"His sacred spells have been chiseled off," she said. "He was cursed in this life and the next."

"What's his name?" Rick asked.

"He Who Shall Not Be Named," Evy read. "He must have done something very naughty."

Hermione stepped away from the trio as they lifted the coffin against the wall. Evy turned the key before letting the lid fall away. The mummy fell forward, scaring the group.

"That's it," Hermione said. "I'm going back out. They don't even put the guy's name on it, and you open it anyways. I am done with this mummy."

She turned and left the building, emerging out into the sun. She walked into her tent, to grab a book to read. She had no desire to see the sticky dead thing again. She pulled out a book she had brought with her on the Egyptian Ministry, though it was charmed to look like a book written in the lost language of the Olmecs.

She loved the feeling of the sun on her skin. As the sun set, she felt the horsemen watching them intently. She didn't know where they were, but she knew they were there, waiting for nightfall to fulfill their threat. She fell asleep, not caring what Jonathan, Evy, and Rick were doing. She hadn't had much sleep since they'd arrived at the City of the Dead, or in the last few years for that matter.

She was awakened by the Egyptologist with the Americans yelling, "You must not read from the book!"

She sat upright, almost pulling her wand at the fright the man had given her. She froze as she heard what seemed to be wings. She looked out to the horizon, seeing a swarm of bugs flying toward them. She, Evy, Jonathan, and Rick ran inside, but she ran in a different direction. She turned a corner and found a way out without meaning to do so.

Two men in black robes grabbed her arms, pulling her toward the rest of the group they'd brought with them. They dropped her to the ground.

"_It's just a woman, Ardeth_," one said in Arabic.

"_Just a woman_?" Hermione snapped in the same language, pulling both her knives from her boots.

"_You would do well not to underestimate her_," said the leader with a laugh.

Hermione froze recognizing the voice, the man who she had fought twice thus far. He saw a fire spark in her eyes, before she launched at him. He dodged her blades, easily knocking them out of her hands. He could tell she was exhausted. He grabbed her wrist, pulling her back into his chest. He held her neck with his other hand to keep her still.

"I'm not trying to hurt you," he growled in her ear.

He felt her muscles quiver before she fell limp in his arms, her body finally resting, even though she didn't.

"I do not know your name," he whispered in her ear, to low for his man to hear.

"Hermione," she breathed.

"Ardeth Bay," he told her.

At that moment, the other explorers ran from underground. They were met by raised guns. Rick pulled out a handgun, aiming it at Ardeth.

"What did you do to my sister?" he demanded.

"We warned you," Ardeth snapped. "We told you to leave. You refused. Now, you may have killed us all."

"What did you do to my sister?" Rick asked again.

"We did nothing to her," Ardeth replied. "She is exhausted."

"I'm sorry," Hermione muttered, finding her strength again. "And thank you."

Two other robed men dragged Burns into view giving him to the other Americans.

"What did you do to him?" Henderson asked.

"We saved him before the creature could finish him off. Now, we must go on the hunt."

"I got him," Rick snapped.

Ardeth was about to reply, when Hermione stepped in, "If an incantation was what raised him, do you really think a gun will kill him? You need a different incantation, so if you know anyone who can do magic, you might want to find them."

"Once he is fully regenerated," Ardeth continued, "he will not eat. He will not sleep. He will never stop."

Hermione watched them enter the tomb before running back to her tent, packing everything.

She was ready to go in minutes, waiting for Rick, Evy, and Jonathan to leave.


	7. Chapter 6

The teams of explorers returned to Cairo, and Hermione stood in Evy's room with Rick, who was packing Evy's things for her.

"Rick, we raised him, we need to put him back down," Hermione said, agreeing with Evy.

"There is no we in this," Rick argued. "She raised him. Not me, not you."

Rick stormed out, heading to the bar.

"I'll talk to him," Hermione told Evy.

She followed him to the bar, walking up between Rick and Jonathan, taking a shot. The Americans joined them, complaining about how screwed they were.

"You should have taken the curse seriously," Hermione muttered.

"I will next time," Henderson replied.

"Here's to that," Daniels said.

They clicked the glasses together and took the shot, spitting it out almost instantly, as did many people in the bar.

"That tasted just like," Henderson muttered.

"Blood," Rick finished, dropping his glass.

The fountain had turned to blood. Hermione gasped, standing and running from the bar, Rick and Jonathan on her tail. They ran into Evy and grabbed her, still running. They burst into the room they left Burns in to see Imhotep more regenerated than before, and Burns lifeless and organ-less in the chair. Hermione leaned against the wall as a wave of dizziness washed over her.

She opened her eyes again and heard everyone in the room yelling at each other. She looked around and saw she was lying on the sofa. She whistled loudly, shutting everyone up.

"Now," she said, rubbing her forehead. "Let's talk about this civilly. You figure this out, I'm going to my room, and trying not to vomit."

"And stay there until I come to get you," Rick said as she turned toward the door.

Hermione walked into her room and shut the door behind her. She immediately pulled out her wand and summoned the potion she would need to relieve her pulsing migraine. She needed sleep, but she didn't think that was going to happen any time soon. She lay down in bed and tried to sleep.

She felt like she'd just closed her eyes, when Rick was shaking her awake. She groaned and got up, following after him. At least her headache was gone.

Hermione followed Rick, Evy, Jonathan, and the Americans into the museum. They rounded a corner to see Ardeth with the curator. Rick and the Americans pulled their guns, pointing them at the pair of men.

"You!" Evy yelled.

"Miss Carnahan, Gentlemen, young lady," the curator greeted.

"What is _he_ doing here?" Evy asked, bitterly.

"Do you really want to know?" the curator asked. "Or would you prefer to just shoot us?"

"Really children?" Hermione sighed, stepping between the two groups.

The three men holstered their guns, and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Men and their guns," she muttered.

"Then why do you carry two?" Henderson asked.

"As a precaution," Hermione snapped. "Have you ever seen me fire one?"

"You probably can't."

"I don't use guns because they offer no room for hesitation, for second thoughts. You pull the trigger and hope you were right. With knives and swords, you have to put forth the effort to maim or kill someone, or have you forgotten your little lesson?"

She turned away from the Americans moving to sit. The rest of the group followed her lead. She didn't pay attention to the conversation being had around her until Rick stood to leave.

"Come on, Hermione," Rick said.

"Ha," Hermione said, sarcastically. "These two know how to at least defend against the creepy undead guy. I'm staying here."

"I'm not leaving you here."

"Rick, I'm your sister, and I'm a woman. That means I'm twice as stubborn as you. I'm going to win any argument you throw at me."

He glared at her, turning on his heel. Evy, Jonathan, and the Americans hurried after him. Hermione stood, walking around nervously. The curator moved back to his office, leaving her with Ardeth. He watched her intently for a minute, before grabbing her arm to stop her pacing. He silently led her to the basement, where there was a large open room.

"You need something to distract your mind," he said, drawing his sword.

She pulled her knives from her boots, circling him, grinning. They both watched each other with calculating eyes. Ardeth finally made the first move, swinging his sword at her. She parried his attack, and the duel began, each attacking and defending when the occasion arose. Ardeth increased the force behind his strikes, amazed at the strength Hermione possessed.

He backed Hermione into the wall. He dropped his sword and pinned her wrists to the stone, making her drop her blades. He stepped close to her, her breathing quickened at his closeness. He looked deeply into her eyes, reading what he could. She was brave, loyal, and scarred. The last surprised him. What had happened to this woman to make her eyes look so torn? She looked away from his scrutiny, shifting nervously.

"Do I frighten you, Hermione?" he asked, loosening his grip on her wrists.

"I don't know," Hermione admitted, looking up into his face.

"Have you ever been frightened of me?"

"In Hamunaptra, when we fought."

"You did not seem afraid."

"I learned long ago that fear is a weakness I cannot afford for those I fight to realize they wield over me."

"Then, keep that view when we fight Imhotep. He will use whatever he can to weaken you. Do I frighten you now?"

"I don't know. Part of me wants to push you away, like everyone I meet. The other part of me is begging me to stay, forgo fear this once and let things fall as they may, but-" she trailed off.

"But?" Ardeth prompted.

"Nothing."

"In that case."

He released her wrist, moving his hands to cradle her face, before pressing his lips to hers. He smirked as she hooked her arms around his shoulders, pulling herself closer to him. He moved his hands, so they were resting on her hips, pulling her against him, as he ran his tongue over her lips, begging for entrance. She pulled away, breathless, and smirked at him.

"Two things," she whispered. "First, I was going to say I was afraid you wouldn't kiss me. Second, just because I'm a woman, doesn't mean I'm always submissive."

He didn't get much time to ponder what she meant, before she pressed her lips to his. She parted her lip, allowing him to explore her mouth before their tongues collided. He tried to muffle a moan as he fought for domination, understanding what she'd meant. He pressed her between his body and the wall, breaking from the kiss to trail his lips down her neck, before placing his lips next to her ear.

"If we continue on like this," he said, his voice husky, "I may dishonor us both."

"If it weren't for that, would you stop?" Hermione asked, curious.

"It is a situation to which I will never know the answer. If I were to forgo what I have vowed, it would not be here."

He kissed along her jaw before lightly kissing her lips, pulling away.


	8. Chapter 7

Ardeth took Hermione's hand, leading her back up the stairs. Evy, Daniels, Jonathan, and Rick walked in, and they both dropped each other's hand. Hermione stood between Ardeth and Rick as they waited for Evy to translate.

Evy finished the translation, and they ran to the car. Hermione looked at the car realizing only six people would be able to sit in it comfortably. She was the last one to the car, so she just sat on the back. Ardeth pulled her down to sit on his lap with her back toward the door.

"That is dangerous," he insisted.

"This entire situation is dangerous," Hermione countered.

Hermione hadn't noticed in the running, the back of her shirt had ridden up, exposing a small amount of skin on her lower back. She didn't notice it until Ardeth trailed a light touch over the soft skin there. Hermione froze, but made no move to pull down her shirt, enjoying the sensation running through her spine. He brushed the sensitive skin a few more times, before pulling her shirt down.

Ardeth knew most of the people in the car were too distracted to notice the woman throw him a heated glance. The curator, his brethren, looked at him, gesturing with his eyes at the woman sitting on him.

Jonathan slammed on the breaks, causing the two man and the woman they were wordlessly talking about to look around. Hermione stood with one foot on the seat between Ardeth and Daniels, the other on the floor of the car. She pulled the daggers out of her boots, sitting on the back of the seat Evy was sitting in.

"Go, Jonathan," she snapped.

She handed the curator and Ardeth the daggers, pulling two more from her belt, giving them to Evy and Rick. She then pulled out the two knives from her boots, causing the curator and Daniels to stare at her in question. Imhotep's slaves attacked the car. Hermione cut at any who came within reach. Daniels was pulled from the car, but grabbed her leg, trying to pull himself back in. Hermione lost her balance and fell into the front seat, on top of Evy and Rick, and kicking Ardeth in the face.

"Sorry," she groaned, trying to sit up, and slamming her head into the front window, swearing loudly.

She swore again as Jonathan crashed the car, making her fall on Rick and Evy again. The six of them scrambled from the car, only to find themselves trapped. Imhotep walked through the crowd of his slaves, speaking to Evy. Hermione watched in horror as Evy went with him. As the pair left, Imhotep commanded his slaves to kill them.

They converged on the five. Rick moved the manhole cover, forcing Jonathan down first. Hermione jumped down second, landing softly on the ground in a crouch. She moved out of the way as Ardeth dropped next to her then Rick.

"We have to get out of here," Rick said.

They began walking, Rick and Jonathan in the lead, Ardeth and Hermione behind. Ardeth took Hermione's hand, lacing their fingers together in the darkness both knew would hide what they did. They both understood that for now, no one would approve of their relationship, if ever. Ardeth stopped with Hermione, behind the other men.

"Hermione, stay here," Rick snapped, preparing to climb the ladder. "You, guardian guy, watch her."

"He has a name," Hermione muttered, as Rick and Jonathan climbed into the street.

Once the manhole cover had been replaced, Ardeth pulled Hermione in to kiss him, holding her hips tightly, pulling her against him. She snaked her arms around his neck, melting into the kiss. She pushed him back into the wall of the tunnel, pressing her body to his. She moved her hips, grinding them against his, causing him to push her away, growling in frustration. She looked at him with hurt filled eyes, so he stepped toward her, running a finger down her cheek.

"If we both survive this," he growled, his eyes glowing with lust, "you will be mine, Temptress."

Hermione smirked at him as he stepped away, breathing deeply. The pair waited another ten minutes before Rick and Jonathan arrived back with a car. They began to drive.


	9. Chapter 8

The three men sat silently, as did Hermione. They were heading to the British Air Force Base in Cairo. Hermione shivered and yawned, which Ardeth saw. He pulled off his heavy outer robes, draping them over her. He pulled her toward him.

"You need sleep," he told her. "Rest, now. I will wake you when we arrive."

Hermione put her head lightly on his shoulder, before scooting closer to him for warmth. He wrapped his arm around her as she hugged his robes around her. Rick and Jonathan were too preoccupied with Evy being in the hands of Imhotep to pay attention to Ardeth and Hermione.

Ardeth thought back to how she fought and her kicking him in the face, even if it was an accident. She was a lioness, powerful, yet quiet, skilled, yet innocent. He touched her hip, brushing her skin. He was so fascinated by how a chaste touch could make him feel, brushing the skin again. He inhaled sharply when her hand touched his. He began to pull away, only to have her grasp tighten holding his hand still. She guided his hand so that it was pressed against the side of her stomach.

They sat in a comfortable silence, until they pulled onto the base. Ardeth pulled his hand away, pulling Hermione's shirt down to cover her stomach, before waking her. He pulled on his outer robes as they stepped from the car.

Within half an hour, Jonathan, Ardeth, and Hermione were being strapped to a bi-plane, Ardeth on one side, Jonathan on the other, Hermione to the top wing. Once they were in the air, Rick asked how they were. Jonathan replied with, "Do I bloody look alright?" Ardeth was laughing, and Hermione gave his a rude hand gesture.

Hermione felt lightheaded, and closed her eyes as she felt Imhotep's magic wash over her. She wasn't expecting the impact with the sands below, jolting her back to reality. She cut herself out of the bindings, furious.

"Rick O'Connell!" she shrieked. "I'm going to kick your sorry ass back to America!"

"You can do that after we get Evy back," he replied.

With that, she and the three men set out at a run to Hamunaptra. They sneaked in hoping to avoid detection. After running from Imhotep's priests, they found the statue of Horus. Rick and Jonathan began to find the book, while Ardeth loaded his shotgun. Hermione handed him the rounds, trying to hide her worry.

"_Be careful_," she whispered in Arabic.

"_I will_," Ardeth replied.

"_And come back_," she ordered.

"_Of course_," he said grinning. "_I have you to look forward to_."

She blushed scarlet. He glanced over her shoulder to see if the other two men were looking. He saw they weren't. He kissed her quickly, putting everything into one kiss in one second. He pulled away just before Rick looked their way. Ardeth snapped the gun into position.

Ardeth charged into the fight, as Rick and Jonathan found the book. The trio ran to find Evy and Imhotep. Hermione felt a wave of nausea, and she knew Imhotep had begun the ritual to raise Anuk-su-namun. When it finally passed, she pulled a sword, charging into the fight. She lost track of how long she was fighting until she heard Evy chanting. She watched emotionlessly as Rick stabbed Imhotep, killing him.

As the walls began to sink, they ran from the tombs, just making it to safety. Hermione stood with her brother, Evy, and Jonathan watching Hamunaptra destruct. Hermione hoped Ardeth had gotten out alright before the cities destruction. Jonathan screamed, suddenly, causing everyone to jump.

"Oh, thank you very much," Jonathan yelled at Ardeth.

"We should start moving," Hermione said, "before it gets dark."

Rick and Evy got on one camel, Jonathan onto the other. Ardeth pulled Hermione up to sit with him. She leaned into him as darkness fell. He wrapped his robes around her, against the chill of the desert night. He rested his hand on her knee, tracing circles with his thumb. She snuggled into his chest as she fell asleep. Her breath ran over the base of his neck, making him shiver.

They traveled through the night and the next day. He and Hermione talked quietly, about nothing specific. He would brush her hand just to do so, or whisper is her ear, just to feel her shiver against him. As evening drew in again, they reached Cairo, going to where the English were staying.

"I will stay with you until morning," Ardeth told them, "then I must depart."


	10. Chapter 9

Ardeth knocked lightly on Hermione's open door as she brushed her hair in front of the mirror. She smiled as he walked in, closing the door lightly. He looked her over, taking in what she wore. She was in a silk shirt with thin straps and pants that fell to mid-thigh of the same material.

"You will be leaving in the morning," he said.

Hermione didn't miss the hint of sadness in his voice. She turned toward him, standing.

"I must," she replied. "I want to get to know my brother, before I return to my own home."

"If you enjoy Egypt, why not stay?"

"It's not possible," Hermione insisted, turning away from him. "I want to get to know Rick and I have my friends and my job."

"You could find a job here," Ardeth countered, "and make new friends."

"I'm sure I could find a job in Cairo, but my job in London isn't something I can just walk away from."

"Why is that?"

"I can't tell you just yet, but I will."

"Will you come back?" he asked.

"Yes, I'll be back, for nothing else but to see you."

"Then I have no regrets in doing this," he said, capturing her lips in a gentle kiss.

She let her hands run up his chest to his neck, pulling him closer to her. She parted her lips, letting him deepen the kiss as he wrapped his arms around her waist, slipping his hands beneath the soft fabric. His lips left hers, moving to her neck, leaving her gasping for air. She pushed his robes off his shoulders, feeling his toned back through the thin black shirt he wore. She stepped away from him, pulling him toward the bed.

* * *

Hermione awoke the next morning, feeling content. She was against a still sleeping Ardeth, with her head resting on his bare chest. She was fascinated by the tattoos that adorned his body. His arm was wrapped protectively around her waist. She thought to the night before. He had gone through with his promise from days before.

She heard his stir as he awoke. She looked up at him, and smiled. He stared at her with a mixture of pain, anger, and curiosity.

"What?" she whispered worried.

"You weren't a virgin," he hissed almost in accusation.

She sat up, turning her back to him, before replying, "I was raped. I didn't think he saw us as more than friends, but I guess he thought that I was his for the taking. His mother was furious when I told her. His sister nearly castrated him when he showed up."

She heard him sit up as well, before she felt his lips on her back. She turned as they reached her neck.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't know. I didn't mean to overreact."

She pulled him in to kiss her, their tongues clash as she lay on top of him. Rick chose that moment to knock on the door to tell Hermione that the boat was leaving in two hours. Ardeth smiled up at her, pushing her hair behind her ear.

"You should get ready," he whispered.

"I'm packed," Hermione replied, smiling innocently. "I only need to change and get to the dock, and that will only take a half hour."

"Temptress," Ardeth growled, but complied with the unasked request.

* * *

Just under two hours later, Ardeth walked Rick, Evelyn, Jonathan, and Hermione to the dock. Jonathan and Rick boarded the ship, waiting for the girls. After some exchanged words with the Medjai, Evy joined the boys. Hermione looked at Ardeth, not wanting to leave, but knowing she must.

"Good bye, my desert flower," he whispered.

"Won't your superiors be angry?" she asked.

"You mean the elders? Maybe, but I still love you."

He placed a necklace in her hand. She looked at it, seeing a small, golden, flower pendent, with a sapphire in the middle. Hermione looked up at him.

"I love you, too," she whispered.

"Until we see each other again," he said, bowing to her.

She slowly walked up to the ship. She stood at the railing, watching as Ardeth grew smaller and smaller. She hadn't even realized how long she's been standing there, staring at nothingness, until Rick walked up beside her.

"So, little sister," he said. "What do you plan on doing once we get back to England?"

**Well, there's the end of the first movie. And a little Ardeth/Hermione fluffiness. The story isn't over. I will venture forth (I love that phrase) into the second and possibly the third Mummy movies. Until then...REVIEW**


	11. Chapter 10

Over the next eight years, time passed, as it seems to do. Rick and Evy got married and had a son by name of Alex. They would go exploring in the tombs of Egypt, making their son quite the Egyptologist.

Jonathan became even more of a thief and drunk, taking women home every other night from bars around London.

Ardeth continued on with his duties as a Medjai.

Hermione returned to England and spent a month with Rick before returning to work. She applied for Auror training and was quickly accepted. She completed training with ease, rising in rank faster than anyone before her. After three years, she reported directly to the head of the Auror Office.

After having that rank for a year, Kingsley approached her. Both the Head of Law Enforcement and the Auror Office were retiring. He informed her that he was offering Harry the position of the Auror Office. She agreed that he was the right choice. She looked at him, wondering why he was still in the office.

"I want you to be the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement," Kingsley told her.

All she could do was stare at him in shock. She jumped at him, hugging him tightly. He understood this as an acceptance, inviting her to the dinner for the department heads the next evening.

* * *

Another occurrence for Hermione when she returned involved Andromeda Tonks and Teddy Lupin. Teddy was now a rambunctious five year old, far too much for his grandmother to handle alone.

"Hermione," Andromeda said, "I don't know how you feel, with what happened in the war. I can't imagine what it's like not being able to have children, and I know you want them. As Teddy's grandmother, I want you, as his godmother, to adopt him."

"You do?" Hermione whispered in shock.

"I want you to know what it's like to be a mother. I can't keep up with him all day. I would be all too happy to watch him during the day, but I want you to be a part of his life. Harry didn't want anything to do with him, when I offered three years ago."

"Harry still hasn't grown up," Hermione snapped bitterly.

"He feels guilty that Teddy doesn't have parents, and knows how he will feel. And he's afraid of how he will treat Teddy because of the upbringing he had."

"But to refuse to be a part of his life? How could he do that? I would never do that! That's what being a godparent is!"

"So you'll adopt him?" Andromeda asked with a grin. "I knew you would."

Teddy had grown up but when he turned eleven, Hermione refused to send him to school. She had begun teaching him magic when he had turned eight, wanting him to be ready for anything. Andromeda supported her decision to teach him young.

Along with the extensive early magic, Hermione taught Teddy every language she knew. They would visit Rick and Evy whenever they could, going on a dig or two. Teddy would sit in the enormous library whenever Hermione was called to Order meetings at Hogwarts, reading up on Egyptian witches and wizards.

He, like his adopted aunt and uncle, was obsessive when it came to Egypt. Bill had promised that when he was older, he'd take the boy to a dig in Egypt to find a wizard's tomb. Every year on his birthday, Teddy would ask it he was old enough yet.

Since the war had ended, Hermione still found no peace. There were dozens of Death Eaters still at large, and no matter how many times they captured Bellatrix, five times thus far, she always escaped. She had taken over for her fallen master.

Hermione became very distant with Ardeth. She never visited him. No one knew of their relationship, but if Bellatrix found out, she would not hesitate to use his against her. Hermione felt horrible for not seeing him, but would hate herself if anything happened to him, so she kept her distance, for eight long years, until the Year of the Scorpion brought them back together.

**Sorry, this in-between stuff is needed, I just didn't want to put it into eight different chapters, because 1) I didn't want to, b) i didn't have enough plot ideas to go with it, and choo-choo-train) Don't you want Hermione and Ardeth to see each other again?**

**The counting comes for the Skit Guys Adam and Eve skit.**


	12. Chapter 11

Rick and Jonathan stared at Ardeth in disbelief. They spun around as they heard running behind them, Rick pulling out a gun.

"Rick!" Hermione shrieked, stopping in her tracks.

"Hi, Aunt Hermione," Alex said. "Hi, Teddy."

Ardeth looked at the pair walking up. Hermione hadn't aged much since he last saw her. The boy next to her had short, spiked brown hair and brilliant blue eyes. He looked to be around thirteen. They walked with the three men and Alex as they went to the car.

"Now that they have the bracelet," Ardeth said, "They will use it."

"I wouldn't be too worried about that, just yet," Alex said showing his wrist.

"You have the Bracelet of Anubis," Teddy said in awe, rushing forward to look at the gold. "If you believe legend, which from what I understand, we all do, you have seven days to get to Anum Sher. Then the Scorpion King will be released."

"How did you know that?" Ardeth asked.

"He's a bit obsessive of Egyptian myths and histories," Hermione replied for him. "If only he put that much effort into the rest of his classes."

"There's one other thing," Teddy said slowly. "Most historians are unsure if it's true, but I guess it's best to assume it is."

"What is it?" Alex cried.

"The bracelet will suck the life out of you if it is not in the pyramid at Amun Sher by the time the sun hits it on the seventh day."

"Oh dear," Hermione said. "We have to get Evy and get moving."

The six piled into the car, Rick speeding toward the museum. Ardeth explained to Rick and Jonathan what the bracelet was, Teddy adding things in whenever Ardeth forgot to mention something. When they pulled up to the building, Rick and Ardeth began arming themselves. Hermione looked at the boy in front of her. She pulled him in and hugged him tightly.

"Teddy," Hermione said. "No matter what happens, stay with Rick, Alex, and Evy. If what we are is to come out, act like you had no idea. Who would believe a thirteen year old can do what you can."

"Yes, Mum," he replied.

"Your parents would be so proud of you Teddy. Trust me, they would. I love you."

Hermione ran into the museum after Rick and Ardeth. The two men looked down at the ceremony below, while Hermione found them. She moved up behind Ardeth, as Rick saw her. He raised his gun at her, about to yell out, but she moved at him covering his mouth. She put a finger to her lips, telling him to be quiet. The three watched as a woman walked up to Imhotep.

"She's saying she's Anuk-su-namun reincarnated," Hermione whispered to them. "And Imhotep said she is in body, but soon in spirit, when he returns her from the underworld."

Hermione slipped away from the men, creeping down the stairs. She stalked closer to the mummy and the woman, but Imhotep saw her, seizing her by the neck. He spoke in Egyptian, and she replied. Evy gasped at what was said, as Rick and Ardeth opened fire.

Hermione ran for cover as Rick freed Evy. They caught up with Ardeth at the same time as Hermione, and the four of them ran outside. Jonathan pulled up with a double-decker bus, gaining a shouting match between him and Rick. Hermione joined in with the two men in the gunfight, but pulled her knives. She fought with one of the mummies for a long time before she pulled out one of her handguns she rarely used. She shot it twice before Jonathan stopped the bus.

Hermione stepped over to Ardeth, looking at his injuries from the mummy's nails. He looked at her with adoration, which she returned with a smile.

"Hermione," Evy said. "Why did Imhotep call you a witch?"

Hermione froze, her face falling. Ardeth's face hardened, looking at her in question.

"He called you Anuk-su-namun last time we ran into him," Hermione said.

"But this wasn't a name, and you didn't contradict him."

"Perhaps I wanted him to believe that I was one. It would give me an advantage over him if he thought I had something he didn't."

"But he can do magic, and he didn't fear you any more than if you weren't."

"And," Rick interjected. "You're not contradicting us now."

"Do you really think I'm a witch, Rick?" Hermione asked. "Have I ever done anything that would bring me into question?"

"Your eyes," Ardeth replied. "You have seen something that none of us have. You have an empty look, a scarred look."

"And that would make me a witch?" Hermione asked, turning toward the Medjai warrior.

"No one your age would have that look."

"So I must be a witch. Have you ever thought that maybe I've seen things that no one my age should have seen or experienced? That maybe, just maybe I've been through more than you can even imagine? Have you ever thought that magic could be more complex than just saying a bunch of words?

"So, yes, I'm a witch, but the magic I do stretches far beyond chanting a few words. It is far more complicated than any of you, non-magic people, will ever comprehend."

With that, she vanished in a swirl of grey vapor. Teddy looked at her in shock. He would never had expected her to be to blatant in telling them she was magical. The three adults looked at him, Evy stepping closer to him.

"Don't worry, Teddy," she said. "We'll take care of you."

He was thankful that they took his shock to mean he didn't know she was a witch. They all turned as they heard a muffled scream. Teddy and Rick jumped from the bus as Alex was kidnapped. After failing to stop them, the five decided they needed a "magic carpet," as Rick put it.

Once they spoke with Izzy, they waited for Ardeth to rejoin them. He arrived with a dozen men on horseback.


	13. Chapter 12

_Once they spoke with Izzy, they waited for Ardeth to rejoin them. He arrived with a dozen men on horseback._

"These are the commanders," Ardeth said. "I told them of your sister, Rick. They will be watching for her."

He dismissed the commanders with a blessing, turning to Teddy.

"We will protect you," he said, as Evy, Rick, and Jonathan walked away.

"I don't need protection," Teddy snapped, turning his back on Ardeth.

"You are a boy, and one that was abandoned by the woman he called his mother after discovering she was a wicked sorceress."

"I know," Teddy growled, rounding on Ardeth, "what my mum is capable of. She's taught me how to defend myself with and without a blade. I don't need the protection of a Medjai."

He stormed off in the direction his aunt and uncle had gone. He avoided contact with the adults for most of the day, but listened to their conversations. He started when he saw Evy fall over the edge, but Rick caught her. He looked out into the darkness, knowing Hermione was there, in the shadows. She wouldn't let Evy get hurt. He listened to the conversation again.

"Evy," Rick said soothingly, "I know you haven't exactly been yourself lately with all these dreams and visions."

"No, no," Evy interrupted, "They're memories from my previous life. Honestly, I'm not losing my mind. It all makes perfect senses now."

"And that's the reason we found the bracelet?" Rick asked skeptically.

"Exactly, I was its protector."

"Now, do you believe my friend?" Ardeth asked. "Clearly, you were destined to protect this woman."

Rick stared at Ardeth for a moment before replying, "Right, she's a reincarnated princess, and I'm a warrior for God."

"And your son leads the way to Amun Sher, three sides of the pyramid. This was all preordained thousands of years ago."

"And how does the story end?" Evy asked.

"Ah, only the journey is written, not the destination."

"Convenient," Rick muttered sarcastically.

"How else do you explain Evy's vision, that it is your son that wears the bracelet? How do you explain your mark?"

"Coincidence."

"My friend, there is a fine line between coincidence and fate."

"And where does my sister fit into all of this?"

"Who says she fits into this at all? Jonathan does not. Why must she?"

"Why do you assume she doesn't?" Teddy asked, making it known to the adults that he was still awake. "There are countless stories through the histories of many dead civilizations; they all have at least one story of a witch. And the witch isn't always bad. Go back to the beginning of time. The Egyptians had their spell casters, the Persians their mystics, never blatantly called witches, but all could do the same things. Why must she be out to kill you?"

"I understand your need to defend her," Ardeth told Teddy. "But, you don't understand-"

"No, you don't understand," Teddy snapped at him. "And you won't understand until you let her explain things to you."

"You don't know what she's capable of doing."

"Maybe I don't, but I can hazard a guess. She would never hurt me, and she would never hurt any of you."

"Witches are soulless creatures that only care about themselves."

"You know nothing about her."

Teddy glared at him, turning back to his little corner where he could be alone.

* * *

Hermione ran up to the pyramid and saw Evy lying dead in the sand. She felt anger take over her as she ran toward the pyramid. She summoned the Scepter of Osiris from Jonathan running into the pyramid. She quickly found her way through the stone passages, running into the tomb. Rick and Imhotep fought each other, neither seeing her.

She extended out the scepter into a spear, waiting for the Scorpion King to make his entrance. The doors opened slowly, as the creature stepped out. He attacked Imhotep first, but the man swore his loyalty. Hermione threw the spear striking the Scorpion King through the heart. Imhotep cried out in fury, walking toward her. As the Scorpion King died, he pulled Rick and Imhotep with him, both grabbing hold of the stone.

Hermione saw Evy running toward her husband, against his wishes as Anuk-su-namun ran. She vanished into a pillar of smoke, flying from the tomb.

* * *

Ardeth stood with the rest of the Medjai warriors as the Army of Anubis ran toward them over the sands of the desert. They were already exhausted from the small skirmish they had survived. The army slowed to a walk, then stopped as a figure appeared out of white smoke.

"Imhotep, Anuk-su-namun, and the Scorpion King are dead," she said, taking the form of Hermione. "I am now the master of the Army of Anubis."

"You must return them to the underworld," Ardeth snapped, "Or Anubis will come to claim your soul as well."

"What soul?" Hermione growled. "I thought you said witches were soulless."

Ardeth stared at her, knowing she'd been listening while they had flown on the journey. The balloon lowered itself over them. Hermione looked up to see Rick, Evy, Jonathan, Alex, and Teddy looking down at her. The Medjai stepped forward, swords raise at Hermione. She lifted her hands, showing them she was unarmed and she had no intent of fighting them. Ardeth commanded his men to bind her wrists and bring her to their village, so the elders could deal with her.

"Army of Anubis," she said, her voice filled with command.

The Medjai pulled away, thinking the army was about to be ordered to attack.

"Return to the underworld, and never return to this world," Hermione commanded to the Army of Anubis. "You are freed from the bonds that Anubis set you bound to the mortal world."

With that, the Army vanished into the sand.


	14. Chapter 13

Hermione allowed the Medjai to tie her hands to a saddle, after hoisting her onto the horse. She didn't fight them as they pulled the ropes tightly behind her back. It took them half the day to arrive at the village, where they took her to an open area at the center. Leaving her there, with a dozen warriors guarding her, Ardeth went to find the elders. Evy, Rick, Jonathan, Alex, and Teddy followed him. Izzy took his balloon and left as quickly as he could.

Ardeth told the elders what had happened, briefly, as they began walking back to where they had left her. A scream caused them all to run the rest of the way. The twelve warriors were all unconscious, while women and children watched in horror. Hermione was being held against a figure in a black cloak and skull mask.

The cloaked figure spoke in a voice to low for them to hear, but it seemed to infuriate Hermione. She threw her head back, connecting with the figure's face. The mask and hood fell away, revealing a man with a bloody nose. Hermione's bonds fell away, and she pulled out her wand. She sent the man reeling backwards as black smoke spiraled around her.

Hermione began to fight the people who formed with expertise that amazed the Medjai. Teddy stood beside Ardeth, arms crossed, fighting to join the duel. One of the cloaked figures raised their wand at Alex, and Teddy knew what incantation would follow. The young wizard tackled the younger boy as the green jet of light passed through where he had just been.

Hermione began picking off the Death Eaters, their number falling as each fell to the ground. A single line of black smoke appeared, dropping a crazed woman. Hermione and the woman circled each other.

"You're far too pretty, Mudblood," she cackled. "I remember more scars."

She pointed her wand at Hermione, pulling away her glamour charms. The Medjai gaped at the scars on her face and neck. They launched into an intense duel, sending all types of spells at each other. The woman spun to the side, throwing her wand tip toward Ardeth, summoning Hermione's wand from her. Hermione stepped in front of Ardeth throwing up her hands.

"Protego!" she yelled, before registering the curse said, "Sectumsempra!"

"Oh, god," Hermione gasped, before the spell made its impact.

It hit her right palm, slicing up her arm, before splitting in two. One side ran across the front of the shoulders, up her neck and across the left side of her face, while the other cut along her side and down her right thigh. The impact of the spell sent her flying backwards, crashing into Ardeth and into the wall behind him. The woman laughed in triumph before vanishing into a pillar of black smoke.

Ardeth shook himself out of the shock of the impact, and was about to push the girl off him, when he felt his robes being soaked in something. That was when he notice she was unconscious and quickly being drained of her blood. Instead, he lightly moved her off of him, before feeling for a pulse. Ardeth shook his head, wordlessly telling everyone there was none to be had. Teddy ran to her side, taking her left hand.

"Mum," he said, softly. "Don't leave me, not you too."

**OK, so short, but the rest gets long, and theis was the best stopping point, even is it was a cliff hanger. Review if you want to know what happens next. AngelJJK, you're the best.**


	15. Chapter 14

"_Mum," he said, softly. "Don't leave me, not you too."_

He reached into her pocket, pulling out his wand that she had long since taken from him. He felt warmth spread over him along with an unnatural calm. He touched the wand fondly, hearing some of the Medjai warriors behind him.

"She has two magic sticks," a man growled. "Did she have the intention of killing us all?"

"She didn't have two," Teddy snapped over his shoulder.

"Then, why does she have that one?"

"It doesn't belong to her."

"Who _does_ it belong to?"

Teddy sat silently, listening and sensing the ripples of magic around him. A dozen ripples began to take shape behind him, and he shot up. As he spun around, he threw hexes and curses at the Death Eaters.

He felt glares from everyone behind him on his back. They were both shocked and disgusted by the thirteen-year-old's ability to use magic. Three pillars of black smoke formed and shot spells at the Death Eaters. Teddy glanced at them, before continuing to fight.

Alex watched at the wound on his aunt healed over, and Hermione's chest rose sharply as she gasped for air. She shot up, wand drawn, speaking a complex incantation, before a flash of white light knocked everyone to the ground, leaving the Death Eaters dead.

"I thought I was alone," Teddy whispered, hugging Hermione tightly.

"I thought you were too," Hermione replied before laughing. "They love you and are very proud of you. Bellatrix will come for you next," Hermione stated, looking Teddy in the eyes.

"Why would that crazy woman come after him?" Alex asked.

"Because my _darling_ great-aunt," Teddy snapped bitterly, "wants to get rid of anyone in the family who doesn't fit into the purist mindset of generations past."

"She's your what?" Rick asked, shocked.

"She's my mother's mother's sister."

"She's your adoptive aunt?" Rick asked Hermione.

Hermione looked at him for a minute before she, Teddy, and the three men with them started laughing. The confusion on the onlookers' faces only fed their laughter. Hermione finally controlled herself enough to say.

"Teddy's not mine," she gasped out. "I'm his godmother, and the only mother he's ever known."

"And where are his parents," one of the elders asked, sobering them up.

"They were killed in the war. His mum was killed by her aunt, Bellatrix, the bitch you just saw. And his dad was killed by the man who gave me one of my many scars. Bellatrix seems to treat me like a toy. She wants to see how much she can do before I break, and then she'll kill me. She realized long ago, that I don't break easily."

"Yet she nearly killed you," Ardeth stated, blatantly.

"No, she didn't. There was no 'nearly' about it. She _did_ kill me."

"And she would have killed you if Mum hadn't tried to protect you," Teddy snapped. "You would have been hit, and bleed out, because she would have been fighting Bellatrix."

"So who are they?" Rick asked of the three men standing by her.

The first was pale with white-blonde hair, pointed features, and cold, emotionless, grey eyes. The second was stocky, but fit, with messy brown hair and coal black eyes. He had a long scar down the side of his face. The third was dark-skinned, darker than that of the Medjai, with high cheekbones and slightly slated brown eyes. His black hair was cropped short. All three wore black robes, and cautious expressions.

"These are three of my closest friends," Hermione replied.

"Ironically," the blonde muttered, but all heard.

"Ironically?" Evy asked, slightly worried, as the dark skinned one looked through the bodies.

"Yeah, about that," Hermione said, trying to avoid answering.

"Theo!" the explorer called. "Talon, here, just killed your dad."

The Medjai became tense, knowing most children followed in their parents' steps. The brunet walked over to the body, nudging it with the tip of his boot.

"About damn time," he said. "I just wish I'd been the one to do it."

"Too bad it wasn't your mum, huh Blaise?" the blond called.

"Don't even get started on that Black Widow." Blaise replied. "Just wait until Auntie Bellatrix catches up to you. I guess she'll just kill us all and save our families the humiliation."

"They have family issues," Hermione finished. "A lot of them, involving shaming the family name, being friends with me, betraying their families, being friends with me, fighting against their families, being friends with me, abandoning the beliefs forced on them from birth by their families, being friends with me, are you seeing a trend here?"


	16. Chapter 15

Hermione sat between Teddy and Draco, with Blaise and Theo next to the blonde. She stared into the firelight, while the Medjai stared at her. Rick, Evy, Jonathan, and Alex sat down on the other side of the fire.

"Do explain," Rick prompted bitterly.

"First off, there are five different types of people in the world. There are Muggles, like you, who can't do magic and generally know nothing of the magical world. There are purebloods, like Draco, Blaise, and Theo, who have been witches and wizards since the first. There are Muggleborns, like me, that have no magical heritage, yet can do magic, and Squibs, magical people who cannot. And last there are the half-bloods, those with any combination of those ancestors.

"When we were a year old, the Dark Lord, Voldemort, was gaining power, followers and fear. He went to the house of Lily and James Potter and killed them before turning to their infant son. He tried to kill Harry but the spell rebounded back, ripping his soul from his body. Harry was my best friend for a long time.

"At eleven, I received my letter from Hogwarts, telling me that I was a witch, that I could do magic, and that I would learn how to do so. I set out to be the best, gaining many enemies from the purebloods who hated being bested by a Mudblood. I had no friends until Halloween in my first year, when Harry and Ron saved my life. At the end of the year, we kept Voldemort from rising to reclaim his body.

"In my second year, something called the Chamber of Secrets was opened and a monster set on the students. It was petrifying Muggleborns, and none knew what it was. I found out, but was petrified before I could tell anyone. It was a basilisk, a giant snake that will kill you with a single look. If you see its reflection, you become petrified. Harry and Ron killed the basilisk, and I was un-petrified.

"In third year, Sirius Black, an accused Death Eater, broke out of Azkaban, the best prison in the world. A Death Eater is one of Voldemort's followers, shown with the Dark Mark tattooed on their arms."

"What does it look like?" Alex asked.

Before Hermione could respond, Draco, Blaise, and Theo all rolled up their sleeves. They showed the mark inked into their skin for eternity, grimacing.

"It won't come off," Draco spat. "Our parents were Death Eaters, and at sixteen, you can't really say no to your parents."

"Anyways," Hermione interrupted, "Sirius Black was after Harry, or so everyone thought. Sirius was actually after the person who was the reason behind his imprisonment, and Harry happened to be in the way. He and our professor, Remus Lupin, explained what really happened, but no one believed us, since Peter got away. Harry and I went back in time, broke Sirius free, and no one was ever the wiser."

"Fourth year, Voldemort was able to return, using Harry's blood. No one believed him, because, honestly, who would want to believe that a madman returned from the dead. It wasn't until the end of fifth year that the war took hold of the Wizarding World. Through that year, there were a few disappearances. We had a teacher who would punish us for speaking out against her, made us write lines with our own blood, cutting out hands."

She clenched her right hand, the words 'I must not tell lies' still etched into it.

"Voldemort used Harry's ability to see into his mind against him, showing him that he was torturing Sirius. Harry had... has a bit of a hero complex. He, Ron, Neville, Ginny, Luna, and I ran off to the Ministry of Magic to save Sirius from death, only to find out that it had been a trick. The Death Eaters attacked us, and things got a bit out of hand. Antonin Dolohov took a special interest in me, and hexed me. The next thing I remember is waking up back in Hogwarts.

"I didn't do much in sixth year, moral support and such, until the end of the year. When the Death Eaters invaded the school, I was one of the few students who fought them.

"What would have been seventh year was hell on earth. I was made the second most wanted person in the Wizarding World, I was on the run, and I had to find objects that contained pieces of Voldemort's soul. We knew mostly what we were looking for, but he hid them well. He had split his soul into seven pieces and placed them in different objects, a diary, a family ring, the locket of Salazar Slytherin, the cup of Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem, his pet snake Nagini, and one in his body. Only Harry knew that Voldemort's soul had been so unstable the night he had vanish. When the spell backfired, it ripped his partial soul in half again, and that piece took root in Harry.

"Each was destroyed, the diary, when Harry was twelve, the ring by Dumbledore, the locket by Ron, the cup by me, the diadem by accident, the snake by Neville, and the part in Harry by Voldemort himself. The hardest one to acquire was the cup. We had to break into Gringotts, the highest security bank in the world. I took a potion that made me look like Bellatrix so we could get into her vault. Getting in was the easy part. Getting out was challenging. We ended up on a dragon. And the rest was kind of a blur.

"We figured out it was in her vault, because of when we were taken to Malfoy Manor after being captured. She was angry that we had the Sword of Godric Gryffindor, when it was meant to be in her vault. If we had it she thought we must have been there. She singled me out and tortured me for information, gave me this."

She lifted her sleeve. Where the Dark Mark had been for the three men, the word Mudblood was scarred. She took a deep breath, shaking away the memory, before she continued.

"At the final battle, Harry gave himself up, knowing he had to die for Voldemort to finally be defeated. He didn't know that the blood he had unwilling given Voldemort had crated him a Horcrux as well. So, the prophecy said neither can live while the other survives, there was also the fact that neither can die while the other lives. Screwed up, huh? Harry ended the war with Voldemort's death. Bellatrix took over for her fallen master, and I became the head of the magical law enforcement."


	17. Chapter 16

**A/N So here's the continuation of the explanation. Warning, mention of rape, jut FYI.**

"About a month after the final battle, I was kidnapped by Death Eaters and taken to their stronghold, one the Order didn't know about."

Hermione looked into the fire. Teddy, Draco, Blaise, and Theo all recognized that look. She was falling into the memory, and she was going to tell everything that happened. This was the only memory that did this to her, her darkest memory.

"I was in a stone room, no windows, one door, and it was soundproof. I didn't know where it was. I could have been in the middle of London, and no one would have known. Bellatrix and all her little puppets would torture me, cut me, burn me. That lasted a week. She realized I wasn't a toy that would break, not that easily.

"After that realization, they never brought wands in. Bellatrix would visit once a damn. That was how I kept record of time, not that I wanted to. Every day for most of the day, they would gang rape me. I didn't fight them. I _couldn't_ fight them, not without my wand. I wanted to die, to be free of the pain and humiliation of every man that stepped into the room-"

She stopped, her voice breaking. She blinked away tears, willing them not to fall.

"I never paid attention to who they were. I'd notice if they were new, but never cared beyond that. Near the end, I began to notice three. Three were always forced in by the rest, but never did anything to me. And they always looked away.

"One day, two months into my captivity, the three asked Bellatrix for a day, a day to have me to themselves, and she agreed. She locked them in with me. I will forever be indebted for what they did for me."

"You don't owe us anything, Hermione," Blaise said. "You shouldn't even have kept us out of Azkaban, even after we broke you out."

"These three broke me out and took me to Hogwarts, the only place I'd be safe until I healed. I wouldn't let them be arrested for something they had no control over. I testified for them when it came to their trial, and since then, they've been three of my best friends. They took over for Harry and Ron after Ron raped me and Harry left me for his fame."

"We'd kill Ron for what he did to you," Theo snapped, "if you'd let us at him."

"And I've told you why you can't kill him. If anyone does, I'll let Ginny. She tried to castrate him last time she saw him. It's just too bad she didn't get the spell right."

"Are you in love with them?" Rick asked, nodding at the three boys.

Hermione notice Ardeth stiffen out of the corner of her eye. The three men and Hermione burst out laughing. Teddy looked at his aunt and uncle.

"The five of us live together," he told them. "And the three of them share a room."

"They're roommates?" Evy asked.

"Something like that," Hermione gasped, leaning against Draco.

"Are you in love with them?" Rick asked again.

"Mate," Draco said, "I don't know how much more blunt we have to be. We aren't interested in women."

Rick, Jonathan, Evy, and the Medjai stared at them in shock. Teddy joined in with the four adults when they laughed at the faces being given them. When the five had stopped laughing, Draco looked at Hermione.

"Do they know about your tattoo?" he asked.

"Oh come on, Drake," Hermione snapped. "You four are the only ones who know about it."

"What tattoo?" Rick asked.

"The one I got slapped on me at the orphanage in Cairo, just like you."

She unbuttoned her shirt, pushing it from her shoulders. All the men averted their eyes when they saw her in only a bra. She stood and walked around the fire to Evy. She caught Ardeth looking her over quickly, trying to look like he was looking away. On the top of her right arm was the Medjai symbol. Below the mark were a number of bands running down her bicep.

"I know what it says, but I thought you'd want to see it. It says 'Keeper of the keeper,' 'Guardian of the guardian,' and 'Protector of the protector' from top to bottom."

"Yes, that's the first three, grouped together," Evy said. "I don't know these other languages."

"There are languages from Aztec, Inca, Olmec, Mayan, Persian, languages from all the ancient powers."

She pointed to each band starting at her shoulder and moving to her elbow, skipping the first three rings.

"Sumerian, Egyptian, Akkadian, Hittites, Olmec, Greek, Assyrian, Roman, Macedonian, Babylonian, Persian, Mayan, Aztec, Incan, all of them say I'm some kind of gift or being from their god. All for them, but these three at the top. All I know is that I have dreams from each era. I know the languages, know the history, the most intimate details."

Hermione took a deep breath and muttered a spell none of the wizards recognized. She touched Evy's cheek, projecting images into her mind.

* * *

_They were watching two masked figures fight in a room of gold. They flinched as one landed on her back. The fighter lifted her mask, showing the face of Evy. The other fighter did the same, Anuk-su-namun. _

"_Put you mask back on," Anuk-su-namun sneered. "Let's not scar that pretty face."_

_The two continued to fight, and they flinched whenever Evy was hit. The fighters used a variety of weapons, to show their power and skill. Anuk-su-namun slammed Evy to the floor with a spear to her throat._

"_You are learning quickly, Nefertiri," Anuk-su-namun commented. "I will have to watch my back."_

"_Yes," Evy, Nefertiri, replied. "And I'll watch mine."_

_The woman, whose eyes Hermione and Evy were looking through, looked at the Pharaoh when he stood, applauding the two fighters. They saw Imhotep with a look of awe and admiration toward Anuk-su-namun. The woman followed the Pharaoh as he announced that Nefertiri would protect the Bracelet of Anubis. She watched as the priest left, seeing the exchange between him and Anuk-su-namun._

_The Pharaoh turned to Anuk-su-namun and began to leave. She bowed to him as they passed, glaring at the woman on his arm. As soon as they were out of sight, Nefertiri stormed off, so she followed._

"_What does he see in her?" Nefertiri snapped as her chamber doors closed behind them._

"_I do not know, Princess," she replied._

"_We must work some more on my fighting tomorrow, Sakhmet. I want to defeat her in a duel. I know my father is already proud of me, but he thinks she is so much better than I."_

"_I already arranged it. I knew that if you lost, you would want to train. If you won, I'd have to knock your ego down a bit."_

_They sat down on the bed, speaking long into the night._

_This night was like any other night, Nefertiri and Sakhmet were in the chambers where they lived. Nefertiri stood out on the balcony, while Sakhmet stood at the doorway. Nefertiri watched in disgust as Anuk-su-namun and Imhotep met in her father's chambers._

_The Pharaoh arrived, and Imhotep hid from him. She heard raised voices before she yelled to the Medjai for help. She watched as her father was stabbed, screaming to him. She fell from the balcony, and Sakhmet snapped into action. She jumped after her, grabbing the Princess's wrist tightly, before throwing her arm out at one of the lower balconies._

_They came to an abrupt halt in their descent, and Sakhmet cried out in pain. She felt her shoulder dislocate and the bone in her upper arm break. She still held on, ignoring the pain, tears stinging her eyes._

"_Medjai!" Nefertiri called. "Help!"_

_Three warriors ran from the palace, looking around for her. She called out again, and they saw her. Sakhmet looked around, trying to figure out a way to get Nefertiri to safety._

"_I can't hold her much longer," she called. "I'll drop her to you."_

_They agreed, and she let the Princess fall. The Medjai caught her effortlessly. After setting her on the ground, they readied for Sakhmet. She let herself drop, landing in their arms. She looked Nefertiri over to make sure she was uninjured, before passing out. When she awoke, she found herself being placed in a bed; Nefertiri hovering over her is worry._

"_Sorceress," one of the Medjai said, "you are injured. Should we call a healer, or will you be strong enough to heal the wounds yourself?"_

"_You underestimate my magic, Heru," Sakhmet laughed, putting her hand over her broken arm._

_She muttered a spell, and the bone healed itself. She slowly sat up, before being hugged tightly by Nefertiri. The Medjai told the women of what had occurred when they arrived to the Pharaoh's chamber. The women returned to the chamber they shared accompanied by a dozen Medjai._

_Once there, Nefertiri fell against Sakhmet sobbing at the murder of her father._


	18. Chapter 17

**Sorry, just realized why I wan't getting reviews...I forgot to post the chapter...Ha ha..oops.**

Evy gasped, causing all the men to look at the pair of women, disregarding the fact that one was half naked.

"You were my protector?" Evy whispered.

"From the beginning of time I was destined to protect you. At the rise and fall of every great empire in history, I was there. I've been told in many dreams how I fit into the Medjai mark. You, Rick, and Alex are the three sides of the pyramid. The sun, I am favored of Sekhmet, the Eye of Ra. The eye, a modified Eye of Horus, favored with him as well. The two kings, Isis and Osiris, Isis the Queen of the gods, Osiris, king by marriage."

"And how is it," Ardeth snapped, "that you gather you are favored in their eyes?"

Hermione stood and turned toward him, replying, "I am a witch, thus favored of Isis. I am known by Sekhmet and as a Gryffindor, a lion, thus favored by Sekhmet. Horus and Osiris because I have escaped death so many times, when I should be dead.

"That and when I died during that duel, they told me I was. They explained a lot of things to me."

"And your scars?"

Hermione looked at him knowingly, retaking her seat between Draco and Teddy. He wanted to know why she hadn't had them the last time they'd seem one another. She could tell in that single look that he knew that she knew why he was asking.

"It's a simple spell really," she replied. "It creates the illusion that I am not injured in any way. It can hide many things, but not the Dark Mark. Nothing can hide that."

"How many men have you loved?" Evy asked.

"There are three different types of love, Evy. I could say I have loved dozens of men, but then again I have only ever loved one, and at the same time eleven."

"And the differences?"

"I love my friends, thus dozens. I love my family, thus eleven. And just as you love Rick, I love one."

"And the eleven in your family?" Rick asked.

"You, Jonathan, Alex, Draco, Blaise, Theo, Remus, Kingsley, my father, and Teddy."

"Who are Remus and Kingsley?" Ardeth snapped.

"Remus is, was, Teddy's father, the man I saw as my Wizarding World father, my mentor. He insisted we stop calling him Professor after he resigned. Kingsley is my mentor, my father, my brother, whoever I need him to be. He took me under his wing after the war ended."

"That was only ten," Alex chirped.

"The eleventh I will not say. He is the only one who all three apply to."

Draco, Blaise, and Theo looked at Hermione with shock written across their faces. Hermione blushed knowing the thoughts and questions running through the trio's minds.

"Really, you three?" Hermione snapped at them. "You don't even have to speak, and I'm already tired of talking to you."

"How long have you been in love with him?" Theo asked, unable to restrain himself.

"Really? You can't wait until later?"

"Come on, Hermione," Draco pleaded.

"Eight years," Hermione muttered.

"Damn, girl," Blaise cried. "And you haven't told him, yet?"

"I thought he knew," Hermione whispered.

She stood and left the circle of the firelight. Draco and Teddy exchanged knowing looks. Hermione was upset, and she would need time to calm down. They knew better than to encroach in her space. The Medjai began to disperse, many of the eyeing the direction Hermione had gone. After a half hour, she walked back toward the fire, a black shirt covering her scarred torso. Alex and Jonathan were asleep, while Evy, Rick, and Ardeth spoke quietly.

Hermione flicked her wand, creating a blanket to sleep on. The four wizards repeated the move, settling in to sleep. Ardeth watched them as Evy and Rick followed their lead, thinking about all he'd learned. She was willing to die for him. If all witches were heartless, why would she have done that? And the night wore on he began to doze. A loud scream pulled him from his slumber. He immediately thought Evy had been hurt, but soon saw Hermione was the one shrieking. Draco, Blaise, Theo, and Teddy watched her, pain written on their faces.

"Wake her up," Ardeth growled at them.

"Yeah right," Blaise scoffed. "It never ends well for the one who does the waking."

"This has happened before?"

"Whenever she relives the events from the war in such painful detail as she did last night," Teddy informed him. "One time was when I asked her what happened. I woke her up, and she broke my nose and my cheekbone. It didn't take long for her to fix, but still. She also broke Draco's jaw, Theo's shoulder, and four of Blaise's ribs. It's best if she scares herself out of it."

Hermione sat up suddenly, gasping for air. She was drenched in a cold sweat, her wand clutched tightly in her hand. Teddy crawled over to her bedroll, pulling her down to rest her head in his lap. He spoke to her quietly in French, knowing she loved how calming she found the language. Her breathing leveled off as she stared at Teddy.

"Get some rest, boys," she ordered.

"You never go back to sleep after those dream, Talon," Theo said. "You don't sleep, we don't sleep."

"Fine, I'm going for a walk, and no. you're not coming with me."

Ardeth stood before she moved, slipping away. Hermione walked through the village in the pale light of morning twilight, not paying attention to those around her throwing her worry-filled glances. As she cut between two houses, she found her path blocked by Ardeth.


	19. Chapter 18

_As Hermione cut between two houses, she found her path blocked by Ardeth._

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I just thought-"

"You jumped to conclusions," Hermione snapped. "That happens a lot with you. You never gave me a change to explain back in London, and you only did here, because you wanted information."

"Why did you save me?" he asked.

"Why do you need to ask? I fell in love with you eight years ago. I promised then, one day I would explain things to you. I did last night. I kept my promise. I trusted you, and you betrayed me."

She turned and stormed away, back to the fire where her family sat. Ardeth followed her, watching as she entered the firelight. His hand shot out and pulled her by the arm. She pulled out of his grasp, swing a fist at him, but he stopped her arm, holding her wrist tightly. He pulled her closer to him, pressing his lips to hers. Her eyes closed as she kissed him back, moving her free hand to his neck.

They were oblivious to the onlookers around them. Hermione pulled away when she felt the gazes on them, blushing scarlet. Teddy, Draco, Blaise, and Theo were grinning at the pair, while everyone else seemed shocked.

"About time you got someone," Blaise laughed.

Simultaneously, Draco, Blaise, and Theo all grabbed their left arms, cringing in pain. Hermione rushed over to them, as Draco fell to his knees.

"She's calling them," he gasped, short of breath from the pain. "They're going to attack again, tonight."

"Call the Order," Hermione snapped. "I'll get the Aurors here."

She turned back to Ardeth.

"I need you to get everyone inside and underground. Teddy can help with that."

She flicked her wand, and a small otter fell out of the tip. She sent it to Kingsley, with her wishes, while sending a second to Harry. She created a table, with plans on it, looking them over. Ardeth came up beside her.

"Teddy is putting tunnels under the houses as we speak," he told her.

"Get supplies there as well," she told him. "I don't know how long this will take."

"Do you really want us to hide?"

"If I could, I would make you all run, but that won't happen."

He smiled at her, kissing her cheek.

"Do you always put others before yourself?"

"Yes."

He walked away, barking orders at his men as the first member of the Order arrived, Luna. The two women began looking over the plans together, others joining as they arrived. They spent most of the day planning, the wizards ignoring the Muggles around them. Ginny was the first to notice Hermione's new scar.

"What happened to you?" she asked.

"Bellatrix," Hermione replied, appeasing the curiosity of those around her.

As dusk fell, the Medjai made their way below ground. Hermione stood with Ardeth, away from the wizards preparing for battle.

"Stay below ground, until I come to get you," Hermione told him. "And keep Teddy there. I don't want him fighting."

"Be careful," Ardeth told her. "Don't do anything rash."

"I'll try not to," Hermione grinned, before pressing a kiss to his lips.

Neither saw Ron glaring at them from the shadows.

* * *

The Aurors stood around waiting for the Death Eaters to attack. Hermione felt the ripple in the wards she's placed to warn them of encroaching danger. Within seconds, the battle was raging. Hermione got lost in the fighting, not caring about time. She attacked any Death Eater who came at her. She didn't realize how long they'd been fighting until it subsided. She looked around to see the sun rising in the distance.

She told the Aurors to take count of the dead and figure out who they were. She walked over to Madam Pomfrey, knowing the woman would want to check everyone for injuries. The nurse mended the minor cuts and bruises she's received in the fight, before handing her a potion for any internal side effects.

Once everything was set in order, repaired, and cleaned, Hermione walked into the tunnels. Teddy was in her arms in seconds, having heard her coming. Ardeth was just behind him. Hermione smiled at the Medjai chieftain.

* * *

That afternoon, everyone was back to their normal lives. The Aurors had returned to London, with the thanks of the Egyptian Ministry. The Order on the other hand was camped on the outskirts of the village. Hermione wondered, feeling restless. Ardeth was speaking with the elders so she was left alone. She soon found herself with Ron standing in front of her, smiling at her, even though her face was stoic, asking her to go out with him.

"Come on, Hermione," he said. "That was a long time ago. I was so childish back then."

"I don't see a change," Hermione replied, bitterly.

"Then I'll show you," he said.

He closed the gap between them, kissing her. She felt her mind cloud over, and a voice began to tell her to respond to the kiss. She tried to pull away, but the urge to kiss him held her in place, doing neither. She emptied her mind, forcing the clouded voice from her thoughts, pulling away. She shook her head in confusion, trying to pull reality back together.

She turned and saw Ardeth looking at her with hurt-filled eyes. He turned and walked away. She ran after him, catching up quickly. She grabbed his arm, pulling him to a stop.

"Come to humiliate me some more?" he snapped.

"It was nothing," she insisted.

"It didn't seem like nothing."

"It was, I swear."

"Then, why didn't you pull away?"

"I don't know. I couldn't. I felt trapped."

"You let him kiss you, and you didn't pull away. That shows me what kind of woman you are."

He glared at her before turning away. She held onto his hand only to have it pulled roughly from her grasp.

"Ardeth, please," she whimpered.

Hermione was shaking in anger, the sadness morphing into pure fury, not at Ardeth, but at one Ronald Weasley.


	20. Chapter 19

_Hermione was shaking in anger, the sadness morphing into pure fury, not at Ardeth, but at one Ronald Weasley._ She turned back the way she came, a bitter wind blowing around her. Draco, Blaise, Theo, and Teddy were the first to see her enter the Order camp, walking toward her. Hermione found Ron, pulling out her wand. She cast a spell knocking him to the ground.

"How dare you," she growled, darkly. "How dare you! Do you insist on ruining my life? Why? Why would you do that to me?"

"What did I do wrong?" Ron asked.

"What did you do wrong?" Hermione shrieked, sending a blasting hex at him.

Harry summoned away her wand, earning a death glare from the woman. She launched at Ron, only to be held back by Draco, Blaise, and Theo. She pulled against them, trying to break from their grasp.

"Do you want the list?" Hermione screamed at the cowering red-head. "You raped me!"

"Don't act like you didn't want it," Ron spat in response. "The way you were dressed, you were just begging me to do it. And it's not like I actually took anything from you, after what happened to you."

Hermione pulled at the three men holding her back, as Ron got to his feet. He walked closer to her.

"You just ruined everything with my… you kissed me, and used the Imperious Curse on me, just to get Ardeth to think I didn't care."

"I didn't do anything to you besides kiss you," Ron replied. "So, don't pin this on me because you couldn't pull yourself away. You love me. Admit it."

"I know how to decide things," Teddy said. "Give me one minute."

* * *

True to his word, a minute later, Teddy was standing with Ardeth to his right and Ron to his left. Draco, Blaise, and Theo were still holding onto Hermione.

"Now, you get to choose," Teddy told her. "Let her go."

The three men released Hermione, and she stood there for a moment. She stepped forward looking at Ardeth.

"_I'll be right back_," she said in Arabic.

She backed toward Ron, turning at the last minute.

"Ronald," she said sweetly. "After all these years of being friends with me, you think you'd know not to mess with me."

She proceeded to punch his in the jaw as hard as she could manage. He fell to the ground, holding his face. Hermione stepped closer to him and kicked him in the stomach.

"Boys, Ginny," she called.

The Weasleys walked up behind her, looking down at their brother.

"Have at him," she told them.

Bill stepped forward first, pulling Ron to his feet. Charlie, Fred, George, and Ginny followed him, along with Draco, Theo, and Blaise.

"Let's go have a chat, you little bastard," Bill growled, menacingly.

Hermione turned toward Harry, glaring at him. She pulled her wand away from him, putting it in her pocket. She turned back to Ardeth, but Harry grabbed her arm.

"Why are you doing this to him?" Harry snapped. "He's in love with you."

"No, he's not, Harry," Hermione hissed in reply. "He wants me because everyone thinks we'd be the perfect couple. He wants to be in the media spotlight, because he's lost it since the war ended. It's the same thing with you and Ginny."

"It's not the same. Ginny doesn't share my feelings for her."

"So, forcing her to sleep with you is what? A way to awaken her feelings? Do you think I love Ron? He's a pathetic child who needs someone fawning over him to feel like he matters. Or are his- what? - seven children with seven different women not testament enough for that?"

"But you two are perfect for each other."

"No," Hermione shrieked. "I have no intention of _ever_ being with Ron. Get over it, Harry. The Golden Trio is dead. There's you two, and there's me. You can't change that. You're just as pathetic as him."

"Hermione, he'd never do anything to hurt you. Don't you see that?"

"Never hurt me?" Hermione screamed, pushing Harry backwards. "He raped me. And then blames _me_ for his family hating him. And you, you side with him, your best mate. How many times did he leave you? What about me? I never betrayed you. I stood beside you in everything we did. In the war, at school, everything. In fourth year, did he believe you when you insisted that you didn't enter yourself into the tournament? Did he stand beside you the entire time we were on the run? No, he didn't. I did. When have I ever abandoned you?"

"Second year," Harry stated.

"Since I was just waltzing around the school asking the basilisk to petrify me. And need I remind you that even being turned to stone, I still helped you. I told you what it was. I took you back in time to save Sirius in third year. _I_ helped you with the first task. _I_ convinced Umbridge to go into the forest. _I_ figured out how to destroy the Horcruxes. _I_ figured out what to do when we found them. And you get the credit for killing him. And I'm just the sidekick, while you and Ron take the spotlight.

"Well, I don't want it anymore. I know who I am. You just have a Messianic Complex now that the war is over. You can't get used to a normal life."

"Don't you dare talk to me like that!" Harry yelled at her.

"I'll talk to you however I want!" Hermione yelled back, their faces inches apart. "What can you do to me? Nothing. Kingsley likes me more than you, and I'm your boss."

"You think I needed you during the war?"

"You'd be dead a hundred times over if it wasn't for me! I'm the only reason you're alive. You would have been dead in first year because of a _plant_ if I hadn't known what to do about it. You would have poisoned yourself or burned to death. You would have looked the snake in the eye. You wouldn't have been able to summon your broom against the Horntail."

"If it hadn't been for Ron and me, you would have been killed by a troll."

"If it hadn't been for Ron, I wouldn't have been crying in the first place. Now, why don't you go find Ron? You two are really perfect for each other," Hermione growled, turning and walking away.

"You self-righteous little bitch," Harry snapped.

Hermione stopped in her tracks. Evy, Rick, Jonathan, and Ardeth all watched as her face darkened. She turned around slowly, letting her jacket fall from her shoulders.

"You know Harry," she said sweetly. "This isn't the first time I've lived. I've live a dozen different lives, and in each one I was a witch."

Evy gasped as she began speaking in Egyptian, calling on Isis, goddess of magic. Harry looked shock before he was thrown backwards by a harsh wind.


	21. Chapter 20

**A/N Well, hello to all my readers who thought I abandoned you. My excuse is the fact that I've been very busy with the lack of internet access, it happens when you're going around the world. Happy readings, now that it's up.**

* * *

_Evy gasped as she began speaking in Egyptian, calling on Isis, goddess of magic. Harry looked shock before he was thrown backwards by a harsh wind._ Hermione took a deep breath, and she turned her back to him again. She walked up to Ardeth and kissed him deeply. He began to apologize, but she put a finger to his lips.

"You had every right to be angry," she whispered.

"Hermione," she heard Ginny say. "I just wanted to see if you or your brother or Teddy or your man want a go at Ron before I let the boys at him. I dealt with him a bit already."

"I do," Teddy said, stepping forward.

"You want to yell at him?" Evy asked.

Ginny laughed and said, "In our family, when we say talk, we don't actually mean talk all the time."

She showed them her right hand. Her knuckles were bruised and slightly bloody. Hermione ran over and hugged Ginny tightly.

"So, Rick, Ardeth?" Hermione asked.

"If she's competent enough as a girl," Rick said, "I think her brothers can take care of the rat."

"Do want to come watch us beat the shit out of our _darling_ brother, Hermione?"

"Brother?" Rick asked, stunned.

"Yes," Ginny replied harshly. "Ronald is unfortunately my brother. But all of us see Hermione as a sister, and long since disowned Ron."

Ginny turned back toward the direction she'd come, Teddy following after her.

"Oh, and Ginny," Hermione called. "Don't kill him."

"Why not?" Ginny called back, walking backwards.

"You'd be killing an Auror," Hermione yelled to the red-haired woman, "and I haven't had time to file the necessary paperwork to fire him, yet."

"How long will that take?"

"A couple hours."

"We can wait that long. Better get that taken care of."

Hermione laughed, before looking at Ardeth. Hermione turned back toward Ardeth.

"Where will you be going?" he asked.

"London," Hermione replied simply.

"In a couple hours?" he asked laughing. "More like a couple weeks."

"Do you want to come with me?" she asked, looking into is dark eyes.

She could see in his face he wanted to, but didn't believe that it would take only a few hours. She stepped into his arms, whispering, "Hold your breath."

She spun on the spot, transporting them to the Ministry of Magic in London. He stumbled as they landed, falling on Hermione. She supported some of his weight while he regained his footing. He stood once he was stable.

"That was interesting," he whispered to her.

"You'll get used to it," she replied, grinning. "Stay next to me. Welcome to my world."

She walked out into the main atrium, Ardeth right beside her the entire time. As soon as people saw her they swarmed her, so she grabbed Ardeth's hand, to keep them together. Reporters threw question after question at her. Ministry workers asked her for advice or her opinion on some bill or law being deliberated. She pushed through the crowd, never letting go of Ardeth's hand. Hermione stepped onto the elevator, taking it to the second level. She sighed in relief as the doors closed.

"You deal with that every day?" Ardeth asked.

"I told you, welcome to my world, the world where I'm one of the most powerful people in the government."

"What are you exactly?"

"I'm the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Harry is the Head of the Auror Office, which is a branch of my department. Ron is an Auror. I'm also a sort of Minister in training, I guess. I don't want the job, but everyone thinks Kingsley is grooming me to take the position when he's done."

The doors opened, and they were swarmed by a smaller crowd of people. Some asked if she was alright, while others asked about threats in the world. This time, she spoke with the people around her, Ardeth standing by her side.

After an hour, the pair walked into Hermione's office. Ardeth walked around the large room while Hermione filled out the paperwork, sending it to Kingsley. He noted the plush chairs and sofa, as well as pictures from her school day. There were many pictures of her with older men, laughing. He was slightly unnerved by the fact they moved, but he ignored it.

One caught his eye more than the others. It was of Hermione with two men. She looked about fifteen. One man had dark hair while the other shaggy blonde. They both were scarred and sick-looking. They were pulling her by her arms as she fought them. They threw her into a stream, laughing at her. After she sputtered to the surface, the men offered her a hand each to help her out. She took their hands and pulled them in the water with her. It stopped and repeated.

"That's Sirius and Remus," Hermione said, walking up next to him. "I had been stuck in the house for two weeks, told to not go outside, so they took me out to the stream at the back of the property, and...well, you can see."

Within a few minutes, Kingsley had returned the paperwork, and Hermione sent it to the Human Resources department. She cast a patronus to inform Ron of his termination from the Ministry of Magic.

"That didn't take very long," Ardeth said.

"I was expecting to be attacked by more people when I got to the office," Hermione replied.

Ardeth looked at Hermione, grinning at her. She gave him a questioning look.

"What?" she asked.

"Eight years is too long," he whispered, pinning her to the door in a deep kiss.

She pulled out her wand, locking the door and warding the room. She wrapped her arms around him, getting lost in the kiss. She pushed his robes from his shoulders, causing them to pool on the floor behind him. They only broke from the kiss when Ardeth lifted her shirt over her head.

"You're scars are beautiful," he told her, noticing how self-conscious she was.

After she pulled off his shirt, he scooped her into his arms, placing her on the sofa.

* * *

Ardeth smiled at Hermione, who was lying on top of him. They had talked for hours, just content to be skin to skin. Ardeth twirled a strand of Hermione's hair around his finger, while his other hand traced the scarred letters on her back. They had spoken of Ardeth's past and the bits of Hermione's that had yet to be revealed. They lay in silence. Ardeth felt liquid hit his chest and looked down to see tears fall from Hermione's eyes.

"What's wrong, my love?" he asked her.

"You are the leader of the Medjai, aren't you?" she whispered.

"Yes, does that worry you?"

"I can't offer you an heir, Ardeth. Ever since I was taken by the Death Eaters, I can't have children."

"That doesn't bother me," Ardeth assured her, wiping away her tears.

Hermione smiled weakly, so he kissed her to prove his words. She pulled away after a long kiss and started to gather her clothes. Ardeth did the same, pulling them on as he went. Before Hermione opened the door, Ardeth pulled her into his chest.

"We need to keep what we have done to ourselves, both eight years ago and now," he told her. "We should have been married before I did that with you. If my people know, you will be labeled as a whore."

Hermione pulled away, nodding, and whispered, "Not that I don't deserve to be called a whore."

Ardeth spun her around, pressing her against the wall, and hissed, "Never call yourself that."

"Why?" Hermione asked. "I am."

"You never had a choice until I came to me," he told her, his voice gentle. "And if you wish, you will never have to make a choice again."

"What?" Hermione gasped. "Are you leaving me?"

"Hardly," Ardeth laughed. "I'm asking you to marry me."


	22. Chapter 21

Hermione could only stare at him, dumbstruck. Ardeth looked at Hermione expectantly waiting on an answer. She tried to reply but all sounds stuck in her throat. So, she did the next best thing. she threw her arms around his shoulders and kissed him.

"I'll take that as a yes," Ardeth chuckled when they broke apart.

"That's a why did you even ask," Hermione replied. "You could have just told me a date, and I would have gone along with it."

"I want to get approval, first, from your family."

"My magical family will be generally alright with it. they know I can take care of myself. Kingsley will give you the father kind of act, but he'll agree, too. Rick is that one I'm worried about. Let's head back to Egypt and start asking people."

The pair walked from the office, hand in hand. The only way they could tell how much time had passed was the absence of people where they walked. Once to the main atrium, Hermione Apparated them back to Egypt. Everyone was asleep when they arrived, save a few men on patrol, Ginny, Draco, Theo, and Blaise.

"Round one," Hermione whispered to Ardeth as the four walked over to them.

"If you as much as upset Hermione," Ginny growled, "I will hear about it, and hex you to within an inch of your life. And then, we'll beat the hell out of you for good measure. got it, buddy?"

Ardeth gulped before nodding to the intimidating red-head.

"Good," she snapped before smiling. "Now, that's done. I approve. If Hermione likes you, I'll like you."

* * *

Throughout the day, that continued. Kingsley pulled the protective father figure and interigated Ardeth for an hour. Once all the wizards were satisfied, Hermione and Ardeth spoke with the elders and women in Ardeth's family. The women pulled Hermione away, Ginny following, to get her dressed.

"You mean I'm getting married today?" Hermione asked, nervously.

"Of course," one woman said in accented English. "Why would you wait? You love Ardeth do you not?"

"I just," Hermione sat down, feeling nausios.

"Hermione," Ginny said. "If you don't do it today, just think about what my mum will do. She'll insist on helping you plan and arrange everything, and you'll be miserable."

Hermione grinned, "Thanks Ginny. You're the best sister ever."

"You're welcome, sweetie, now let's not keep your man waiting."

* * *

Five hours later, the party was in full swing, with a roaring fire and lots of food. Dusk was setting in and Hermione and Ardeth walked into his house. They spent the next two weeks around his home, getting to know people. Everyone had returned to England except Evy, Rick, Jonathan, and Alex. Teddy had spent a lot of time with his cousin, giving Hermione and Ardeth time alone.

Hermione was walking through the village, when she saw group of five wizard walking toward them. she hurried toward them to see Bill and four coworked she'd briefly met before. she quickly hugged her scarred almost brother.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him.

"Well," he said. "I remember you telling me that your sister-in-law and nephew, and Teddy all love mummies and whatnot. We found mention of a tomb in the old archives, and we think we found it. I was hoping I could get you to come and help, and offer to your family."

"Well, I think that will be alright with them. do you know who it is?"

"Not yet. It just says an old sorceress in the archives."

"Alright, let's go talk to them."

The five wizards followed Hermione through the village, to the house where Evy and Rick were staying with the two boys and Jonathan, make that three boys. Hermione explained things to Evy, who was excited about the new adventure. Hermione grinned when she heard Alex and Teddy cheering from the hall. Teddy ran into the room and threw his arms around Bill.

"Thank you, Bill," he said. "I can't believe I get to finally go on a dig."

Bill and his friends laughed at how excited the boy was. Teddy began telling Alex about some of the enchantments found on previous tombs, as the younger boy listed intently.

"Once we get everything arranged at the dig sight, we'll come to get you," Bill said. "It should only be a couple of day, so get packing. We can Apparate there, or go by camel, either way works for us."

With that, the five wizarding explorers said their goodbyes to Hermione and Teddy and departed. Hermione began to make a list of things they would need, packing them away in her small beaded bag. Evy was only to eager to help with the packing.

Rick and Jonathan spent most of the next two days complaining about going after another mummy. Teddy, Evy, and Alex were being impatient, the two boys asking when Bill would be back twice and hour. Hermione and Ardeth were arranging the patrol of the city while Ardeth was away.

At dusk on the second day, Bill and his friend returned. They had desided to go by camel, being that most of those coming were Muggles. Christophe, one of Bill's friends, looked at the lack of provisions on the camels with mirth.

"I thought you said they were explorers, Bill," he sneered.

"It's all taken care of," Hermione replied, patting the bag.

There was a low sound of falling objects, making Hermione wince.

"That'll be the books," she muttered. "Damn, I just alphabetized them."

The five Muggles and seven wizards mounted the camels to begin the overnight journey to the dig sight.

As morning dawned, Bill told Hermione they were getting close. Ardeth stayed close to Hermione while Teddy and Alex raced around the group on their camels.

"Oh dear," Evy said suddenly. "I have a meeting with the Bembridge Scholars! We have to-"

"Evy," Hermione cut her off. "ignore it. We're almost there if you're feeling the wards."

"What wards?" Jonathan asked.

"The ones that keep you Muggles away if you don't know what is here. these ones will make you suddenly remember something you must do or haven't done. You'd rush off to do it and never find out what was here."

"We'll be there in ten minutes," Bill said.

"But there's nothing there," Jonathan complained.

"Be patient," Hermione snapped. "Alex is more behaved than you."

"I resent that."

After ten minutes of silence, they broke through the concealment wards. Rick, Evy, Jonathan, and Alex stared at what was in front of them. a huge temple, larger than carnac stood before them. the great stone building showed signed of nature taking its toll. There were great statues of people fighting in pairs, with short blades. Evy and Hermione both recognized the type of fighting from their memories.

"Shall we get some breakfast?" Bill asked. "Then we can begin digging."


	23. Chapter 22

**A/N To the anonymous reviewer timber, titles don't have to be grammatically correct, because whatever the author says goes with titles, and it technically is grammatically correct if it is put in the right context, i.e. will a warrior arise? can a warrior arise? Besides, it goes with the poem in the prologue, that's how I decided on the title.**

After a quick breakfast, they were led into the temple. They spent hours getting into the temple itself with all the enchantments. They stopped for lunch, and by early afternoon they had broken into the temple. The central room was well lit with magical fire, giving off a bluish glow.

"Why don't our Egyptian scholars look around and see what they can read?" Bill asked.

"I'm not going to read it out loud," Evy replied, moving toward the wall.

"It's a long story," Hermione said, catching the confused looks on the wizards' faces.

Alex, Teddy, Hermione, and Evy began glancing through the writings on the wall. They were quiet for a long time, the others waiting for them to explain.

"This one's a story," Alex called. "It's about the sword fighting, and why they did it."

"Mine's a story, too," Teddy said. "But it's about the magic here."

"this one," Evy explained, "says there are thousands of passages below the floor, all guarded by different things."

"What about yours, Hermione?" Bill asked.

"I know who's buried here," Hermione said quietly.

"Really?" Christophe asked. "Who?"

Hermione shook her head, walking from the temple. She sat down on the steps breathing slowly.

"Hermione?" Evy said, sitting beside her.

Rick and Ardeth sat down next to their respective wives. Hermione looked at her sister-in-law.

"Evy," she whispered. "It's us."

Both women froze, eyes distant. The two man knew it to mean their version of déjà vu. Bill and his coworkers stopped as they saw the two women rigid.

"Is it a spell?" Christophe asked.

Alex and Teddy hushed him, before sitting quietly in front of their parents. The two women exchanged looks before standing up. Hermione walked back into the temple, flicking her wand. All the fires were extinguished.

"Come on," Christophe complained. "it took us an hour to get all those lit."

"Maybe you weren't doing it right," Hermione said slyly, grinning at him.

Hermione closed her eyes, finding her former self hidden deep within her mind. She spoke in slow precise Egyptian, opening her eyes. She snapped her fingers and flames erupted from a shelf high up on the walls.

"This isn't a temple," Hermione said.

"what is it?" Bill asked.

Hermione extended her arms, palms up. she made a lifting motion and two walls of stone shot out of the floor on either side of the main room, with ever type of ancient weapon in pristine condition.

"In common terms," Hermione replied turning around. "it's a gym. But that's not to say there are no people buried here. perhaps, Evy and I can provide some…education?"

"Now, that's hardly fair," Christophe said. "You're a witch, and she's a Muggle."

Hermione and Evy exchanged knowing looks. Hermione pointed at the wall, and a step moved out for them to sit on. Evy and Hermione walked down a set of stairs, making Bill nervous. A few minutes later two stone panels vanished from the floor. The men watched as two timeless statues, still with the paint in perfect condition, rose from the floor. The golden masks the female figures wore glinted in the firelight. They were in the same outfits as those outside, skirts and tops that covered what was necessary. They had bracelets around, both, their wrists and ankles and a blade in each hand.

"Interesting," Alex said.

"one," Hermione's voice echoed through the chamber, "two, three."

The ten men didn't expect the two statues to turn and start fighting each other. The blades clashed together as the pair moved back and forth on the stone floor. One disarmed the other, who seized the closest weapon, a spear. The one with the blades released them, grabbing the spear and lifting it behind her back. She head butted the other ducking under the shaft of the spear, as she staggered backwards, before falling on her back as the ground moved underneath her. they spoke back and forth in Egyptian.

"The one on the ground said," Teddy translated, "You can hardly call using magic fair."

"and the other one replied," Alex continued, "And you call what you did fair?"

"you didn't specify what I could and couldn't use."

"I'll be sure to restrict you next time."

The one on the ground rolled backwards, flipping down the floor, before grabbing a spear as well. The two fought using the spears for a few minutes before the one was on her back again, with the other's spear at her throat. The one stood helping the other to her feet. The both lifted their masks, grinning at each other.

"Whoa, Mum," both Teddy and Alex said upon seeing Hermione and Evy.

"Didn't you wonder how I learned to fight, Alex?" Evy asked. "Hermione's previous life taught me everything I know. Well, most of it that Rick didn't teach me."

"Previous life?" Bill asked.

"It's a long story," Rick replied.

"And to think," Hermione laughed. "I was going easy on you, like I always have."

"This is the second time," Christophe snapped, "you've said 'It's a long story.' I have a feeling they're connected somehow, so why don't you explain?"

"Mummies, magic, reincarnation, big bugs," Hermione said. "You now have the gist of the long story. Or did you want pictures to go along with it? you want answers? There," Hermione pointed to the wall. "There is my story. And it can be read out loud."

Teddy stepped forward to read what was written:

At the dawn of time a warrior arise,

To save the world as chaos flies.

A mighty sorceress of Isis' might,

Who for gods and men Darkness fight.

Through many powers rise and fall,

She will live and see them all.

When danger call she will fight,

Til darkness fall and rise the light.

And when needed not, she will die,

And through the starry night will fly.

Never to rest, never to die,

Lost, alone, in the starry sky.

But when she decides to forsake it all,

To, as mortal men, heed Death's call,

To return to Death what to him belong,

To keep foolish men from being too strong.

Her path will end, her journey complete,

Her life to live, her love to meet,

Her heart's true mate, a man like stone.

The Two joined together, both never alone.

Two hearts as one, their love to last.

Two worlds' quick pace be ne'er to fast.

The Chosen One, her job never complete,

New worlds to save, new people to meet,

Until that time she may live free.

And pass on- into eternity.

At last her tale will forever end,

Until The Two be needed again.

"I don't get it," Christophe said.

"Well, that's hardly surprising," Hermione snapped.

"Hermione," Rick said, "be nice."

"I have lived in every civilization of the world. Persian, Egyptians, Babalonians, everything. I have been a witch in every age, fighting for balance between darkness and light. This time it was the Wizarding World."

"Then, why is your story written on the walls here?"

"Because this was mine. I'm buried below these floors, Evy and my previous lives were buried here after we died. I know what enchantments protect the halls that run here. I know everything there is to know. I only trained women, the Medjai took the men. Some of those I trained were royalty, while others joined the Medjai to protect the pharaohs."

"Is your Medjai reincarnated, too?" Christophe scoffed.

"No," Hermione growled. "Do you not believe me?"

"I find it hard to believe that two reincarnated Egyptians happened to be related be marriage."

"You want the story? Fine. It'll take all night."

Alex and Teddy both yawned at the same time. Hermione glanced outside, realizing how dark it was.

"Rick, can you take the boys to bed. I'll need Evy."

"Sure, little sister. Don't stay up too late, and don't scare the big, bad wizards too bad."


End file.
